Legal Question in Business Law in California

I am a regular employee here in California working for a media company. I have a friend overseas, who owns a business, (marketing). He also does custom online radio for grocery stores. He would like to do that for local groceries in CA, a custom online station. As clients comes in they can hear the specials with music while walking around.

He wants to produce everything overseas and reproduce for the client via internet on their business website to the store. I would be the contact for the client and his business overseas. I will send my friend the business info such as products to advertise, etc.

I explain my friend that I am not a company and I would have to legally be supported. Insurance, music rights, local phone number, tecnitians.etc. Please advice how this could legally work for both parties.

cecilia


Asked on 9/29/09, 3:39 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Sounds like an interesting business model. You are right to seek legal advice on this. Unfortunately there are an awful lot of details that would impact how you set this up. Would you be an employee? An independent sales contractor? Would the customers order from you and make payments through you, or would you just be a "rep?" Without knowing all these details it is impossible even to start advising you. You really need to talk to an attorney about your options, and you and the friend need to then make some decisions about how you want to do things. THEN you can figure out how to set up the legalities to protect yourself.

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Answered on 9/29/09, 3:45 pm
John Gibson

I agree with Mr. McCormick. A conversation with a knowledgeable attorney could lead you down one of many paths - employee, independent contractor, starting your own company, becoming a part owner of his company, etc. The nice thing is there are a lot of options for you both to consider and the fact that you are thinking about it early is also a very good thing.

Feel free to contact me directly if you would like to discuss this further.

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Answered on 9/29/09, 6:32 pm


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