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Apr 03, 2020

Do You Have a Seriously Brilliant Idea and Want to Get a Patent?

These are the steps you need to follow to patent your invention:

• Develop your idea
• Do a patent search
• File a patent application - provisional and/or complete
• Wait for the patent prosecution i.e. examination by the Patent Office

Going through our pages on patenting will give you a very good idea of the process and what is involved. This can help you decide how much you can do yourself and if and when you need to call in a specialized patent attorney.

Continue reading "Do You Have a Seriously Brilliant Idea and Want to Get a Patent?"

Apr 01, 2020

5 Safety Tips for Your Power of Attorney Form

• There is no need to issue a General Power of Attorney if you only want your agent to attend to the sale of a property whilst you are overseas. In other words, use a Limited Power of Attorney wherever you can.
• You should also specify an expiry date upon which the POA automatically becomes null and void and no revocation is necessary. If you are satisfied with the way your agent conducted your affairs, you can always issue another document.
• Carefully consider which person you can trust to always act with your best interests in mind. You can appoint more than one person and can direct how decisions must be made, i.e. jointly, jointly and severally or a combination thereof.
• Once you have no more need for your agent to act on your behalf or do not trust such a person anymore, put it in writing in a Revocation and issue a copy to any third party whom you or your agent have business with.
• Consider executing a Durable Power of Attorney to cater for an event which may leave you incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself.

Continue reading "5 Safety Tips for Your Power of Attorney Form"

Mar 30, 2020

Temporary Employment Agreement

There is one distinct advantage to the employer of having a temporary employment agreement in place - it makes it clear that there shall be no expectation from the employee of permanent or continued employment after the time period stipulated in the agreement.

Our free temporary employment agreement spells out the terms and conditions of this work arrangement.

Note: It does not mean that employers can resort to a temporary agreement for an extended period in order not to fulfil duties such as health insurance or a pension plan which may be standard for permanent employees in the company.

Labor laws in prospective areas specify time guidelines and hours worked in order to make a distinction between temporary and permanent employees.

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Mar 25, 2020

Independent Contractor Agreement

Once it's established that someone truly qualifies as an independent contractor, it is good practice to also establish that status in a written agreement.

In this document you will specify:

• The duration of the contract
• Description of services
• Rate of payment
• Ownership of the work
• Confidentiality etc.

Our free template covers all the above - and more.

Continue reading "Independent Contractor Agreement"

Mar 23, 2020

Letter of Regret for Employment

There are a number of ways that you could word the Letter of Regret you send to unsuccessful applicants:

• Simply and politely state that they were not successful in their application.

But then you could go one step further:

• Provide specific and helpful feedback which not only shows your empathy, but can also be of assistance for the candidate’s future interviews
• If you were impressed with the candidate and could see a possibility of employment with the company, albeit in a different position then you can word the letter in such a way as to offer another interview, without specifically making a promise of employment.

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Mar 19, 2020

Parental Child Abduction - How Serious is This?

The heartache caused to families can be devastating and long lasting, but the impact on the child is the most serious consideration.

Children may have their appearances altered, not attend schools and may not receive proper medical care lest they be discovered.

There is legal recourse and international assistance available to help children being returned to the rightful residence.

We also point out signs that parents should look out for which may warn them of possible abduction by the other spouse or family member.

Continue reading "Parental Child Abduction - How Serious is This?"

Mar 18, 2020

Free Photography Contracts

Explore the various free documents to assist you in your photography business:

• Model Release Forms;
• Photo Copyright Release form - granting permission to a lab or photo store to reprint your photographs;
• Assignment of Copyright - when selling or transferring your copyright in a work.

We also have specific wedding photography contracts, tips and checklists. These can easily be adapted/edited to cater for sports events, gala events etc.

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Mar 16, 2020

Legal Wills - More Frequently Asked Questions

When writing a will you may need to know:

• Can a person suffering from dementia execute a will?
• How should a blind person go about making a will?
• Can I make provision for pets in a will?

Answers to these and many more questions can be found here:

Continue reading "Legal Wills - More Frequently Asked Questions"

Mar 13, 2020

What Is Work Made for Hire?

Employers, employees and freelancers all need to understand their rights when it comes to "work-for-hire".

We address some of the important issues such as:

• Who owns the Copyright?
• What are Moral Rights and can they be waived?
• WHEN do you need a Work for Hire Agreement?
  
  ...and more.

Continue reading "What Is Work Made for Hire?"

Mar 11, 2020

Effective Telephone Interviews for Prospective Employees

Effective Telephone Interviews for Prospective Employees

Using the telephone as a first screening can be such a time saver for employers.

Perhaps the best illustration would be when seeking a telephone receptionist where a simple call can quickly establish if the person has a good speaking manner and knowledge of language.

But many other positions can also benefit from an initial phone contact.

For example, asking a prospective salesperson questions about merchandising, marketing etc. will very quickly give you a good idea if the person knows what he/she is talking about.

Continue reading "Effective Telephone Interviews for Prospective Employees"

Mar 10, 2020

Parental Consent for Marriage of Minors

If minors are still under the age of maturity, but of the age that they can legally get married, they will need parental consent to apply for a marriage license.

We supply a free Marriage License Consent Form and show you whether you also need additional permission in the state/province/country where you live.

There may also be other impediments or requirements to consider before minors can get married.

Continue reading "Parental Consent for Marriage of Minors"

Mar 09, 2020

Rental Security Deposit - What's Legally Allowed

Unfortunately there is not one single specified amount across all jurisdictions.

It is normally at the end of the tenancy when the deposit becomes refundable that disputes arise.

That's why both landlords and tenants must make it their business to find out what is permissible.

In fact, in many states it is a duty of the landlord to inform the tenant of his/her rights.

You need to know which costs can and cannot be deducted and the process that should be followed.

Continue reading "Rental Security Deposit - What's Legally Allowed"

Mar 06, 2020

How to Register a Trademark and Why You Should

There are distinct financial advantages to having a registered mark, such as claiming for damages from counterfeiters, licensing or franchising a mark etc.

Once you've registered your trademark, no one can claim ignorance since it is the duty of subsequent users to do searches for existing marks.

We'll show you step-by-step how to:

• Choose a TM
• Do a TM search
• File an application
• Use your Trademark

Continue reading "How to Register a Trademark and Why You Should"

Mar 04, 2020

Used Car Bill of Sale

When selling a vehicle privately, it is important to record the details of the sale in writing to avoid future disputes.

Moreover, you also need to submit the record of the sale for tax purposes.

When it gets to selling a vehicle on installment sale, the agreement gets a bit more complicated. Take a look at our bill of sale where we make provision for:

• The purchase price
• Deposit paid
• Interest and late payment fees
• Recording a lien

Continue reading "Used Car Bill of Sale"

Mar 03, 2020

Power of Attorney for Children or Legal Guardianship?

It all depends on your circumstances and which decisions you want another adult to make on your behalf.

You can make your power of attorney as broad or as limited as you wish. In our free template we show you a number of examples and also some alternative clauses.

Should you have your Power of Attorney notarized? Yes! And we explain the reasons why.

And should you decide that you would rather have a Temporary Guardianship, then you can get the free template and guidelines from us too.

Continue reading "Power of Attorney for Children or Legal Guardianship?"