Intellectual property (IP) protections in the United States are primarily governed by federal laws and regulations. Here is an outline of the main forms of intellectual property protections available: 1. Patents: Utility Patents: Granted for novel and useful inventions, including processes, machines, compositions of matter, and certain types of plants. Utility patents are the most common and are grouped into…

Generative AI is a type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that focuses on creating new data rather than recognizing patterns in existing data. This type of AI uses deep learning algorithms to generate content such as images, videos, audio, text, and other kinds of media based on certain parameters or conditions. Generative AI has the potential to create unique content from…

As a business, you want to make sure that you have all your bases covered. This includes having a master service agreement in place. A master service agreement is a contract between a company and its customers that outlines the terms and conditions of the services being provided. This agreement protects both parties involved and ensures that everyone is on…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently proposed a rule to ban non-compete clauses in employment agreements. This proposed rule has been met with mixed reactions, as this would have major implications for businesses of all sizes. Let’s explore what this could mean for businesses and their employees in the near future. What is a Non-Compete Clause? Non-compete clauses are found…

Save Money and Avoid Penalties The last two years have brought major macroeconomic and geopolitical shocks (Covid-19, Inflation, Ukraine war) that deeply affected the growth plans of many small and medium businesses and made investors very risk-averse. The recession is still looming, but here are some of the trends that might be interesting for Cea Legal’s clients: New York Real…

When you read news stories about financial crimes and business corruption, you might get the impression that businesses can get away with anything. It seems like banks will lend them huge sums of money after asking a few questions about what they will do with the money. A new federal law aims to increase business transparency by forcing the corporations…

What Companies Need to Know to Avoid Civil Penalties In its mission to assist businesses comply with multiple laws, regulations and guidelines, Cea Legal analyzed the requirements of the recently enacted New York City’s pay transparency law. The new law makes it illegal for a NYC-based company – with at least four employees or independent contractors – to advertise a…

An estate plan is a crucial strategy that should be devised for the transfer of high-net-worth individuals’ property, whether during their lifetime or, often, after their death. At Cea Legal, we strive to create “bespoke” estate plans for each client. The task begins with understanding our clients’ long-term goals: making gifts or enjoying their wealth during their lifetime; optimal tax…

Newly formed companies often need fresh capital to start-up their operations. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how to fund the business. We counsel founders from the outset and lead them to choose the right investors and, more importantly, the most valuable financing tools available under the specific circumstances. The most common early-stage financing methods are convertible…

The recently established Office of Cannabis Management published the criteria to apply for Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) Licenses, thus opening the doors to the first cannabis legal sales in New York in the next few months. CAURD Licenses will be limited to “justice-involved” individuals, who is someone who was convicted, or had a parent/child/spouse who was convicted, of a…