Legal Question in Business Law in California

My cofounder and I are working on a mobile gaming start-up and know very little about the legalities regarding the security of our idea and our personal assets.

We have recently verbally hired a freelance developer to start working on our beta release and are going to soon have him sign a contract. However, since we are currently not incorporated, we are reluctant to have him sign a document, specifically indebted to our persons (is this an issue for legal suits in the future?). For this reason, we were considering filing for an LLC, but are unsure what is required for the process. We have looked into LegalZoom.com, but want to make sure it is a reputable resource.

We are students and therefore do not have a large cashflow, so we would like any legal advice / LLC formation to be as affordable as possible.


Asked on 4/09/12, 12:09 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Bryan Whipple Bryan R. R. Whipple, Attorney at Law

You can find a fairly large number of what I call "self-help law books" either on line (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) or at larger bookstores. They are usually large-format paperbacks. Your college library might have some. Nolo Press is a well-known publisher. Look for titles on starting and managing small businesses, LLCs or corporations. There are also books of the same genre that deal with protecting intellectual property through copyright, trademark and patent laws, etc., although it doesn't sound to me as though your have a protectable idea (except maybe by being careful in disclosures).

When selecting business-formation books, be sure they are based on California law. With intellectual-property law, it's largely Federal in origin, so California emphasis is less important.

You also need to be fully informed about the legality questions arising from a "gaming" operation, which may mean "gambling." In general, operators of Web-based gambling enterprises are held to the legal standards of where they live and operate, and there are occasional enforcement efforts based on where their clientele reside.

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Answered on 4/09/12, 8:44 am
Marina Lang

I would be happy to help you with this. I see a number of legal needs here. Please call me at your convenience for a free consultation at (805) 351-3681. Marina Lang, Esq. Symbus Law Group, LLC.

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Answered on 4/13/12, 3:06 pm


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