At the risk of making us obsolete, this new online service was too cool not to link to.  The Silicon Valley law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati recently launched a free Term Sheet Generator for clients and prospective clients.  According to their website, the Generator:

“will generate a venture financing term sheet based on your responses to an online questionnaire. It also has an informational component, with basic tutorials and annotations on financing terms. This term sheet generator is a modified version of a tool that we use internally, which comprises one part of a suite of document automation tools that we use to generate start-up and venture financing-related documents.

Because it has been designed as …read more

A client recently asked me if he, as an employer, could designate his office as a “smoke-free” environment and, what’s more, if he could refuse to hire people who are smokers.

The short answer is, yes, under Michigan law, an employer can have both a smoke-free workplace and a workplace free of smokers.  (Even though smoking is a legal activity, and even if the smoking is done exclusively during off-duty hours.)

Federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against any individual in hiring because of that individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, age, and disability.  State law also prohibits discrimination in hiring based on age, height, weight, or marital status, in addition to race, color, religion, sex (which includes pregnancy), …read more

Join us TONIGHT, April 23rd, for TechNow09 “a one-night business event, showcasing future and current Michigan business leaders who are innovating in their fields, creating jobs, and leading the transition of Michigan into a knowledge economy.”  The event includes five presentations from next-generation, Michigan-based technology companies; an interactive panel discussion with current Michigan business leaders; and cocktails, networking and raffle.  A live concert with Michigan’s own Manolete, a latin-inspired rock band, immediately follows.

Safford & Baker is an official sponsor.  Please come by our table and say hello.

The event is at the Royal Oak Music Theatre.  Doors open at 6pm, and the event starts at 7pm.  …read more

“A 12-person jury deliberated six hours over two days in January before awarding [the plaintiff] $50,000 in compensatory damages.  The verdict made him the first plaintiff awarded damages in a libel suit against a blogger….The case is one of at least 50 similar suits filed in the past several years.” — Kansas City Daily News, October 26, 2006

“Social media – always fun until someone gets sued.” — FP Legal Post, March 16, 2009

What are blogs, wikis, and online forums?

Blogs, wikis, and online forums are part of the Web 2.0 social media explosion that are changing the way we do business and work with each other. Web 2.0 represents one of the greatest opportunities of our lifetime to share ideas and …read more

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is the federal law that governs consumer product warranties.  The Act requires manufacturers and sellers of consumer products to provide consumers with detailed information about warranty coverage.  In addition, it affects both the rights of consumers and the obligations of warrantors under written warranties.

What the Magnuson-Moss Act Does NOT Require

• The Act does not require any business to provide a written warranty.  The Act allows businesses to determine whether to warrant their products in writing. However, once a business decides to offer a written warranty on a consumer product, it must comply with the Act.
• The Act …read more