One of the most difficult aspects of starting and running a small business is knowing what are the requirements for compliance with the law . . . and what legal pitfalls to avoid. This user-friendly guide, written by a practicing attorney, features a format that offers helpful cross-references and quick access to 155 major legal do's and don'ts in a variety of subject areas, including international transactions, contracts, intellectual property, computers, business succession planning, and more. Included are such important topics as:

• Employment--hiring aliens



• DO be sure to comply with the requirements for hiring aliens



• DON'T trip over the discrimination laws when complying with the alien hiring laws



• Litigation--arbitration



• DO use an arbitration clause in your contract if the situation warrants



• DON'T allow the arbitrator to "split the award down the middle"



• Commercial transactions--warranties and disclaimers



• DO limit your warranty exposure by using proper terms in your sales order forms



• DON'T indemnify against patent infringement except where it is advantageous



• Financing--personal guarantys



• DO carefully consider the personal financial implications of signing a guaranty



• DON'T sign a guaranty without carefully considering the terms



• Types of businesses--conversion from a corporation



• DO convert your corporation to a Limited Liability Company (LLC), if appropriate



• DON'T ignore the tax effects of a conversion from a corporation to an LLC