The Foundry Law Blog

Coping with COPPA: Protecting Children’s Online Privacy

What is COPPA? In today’s cyber world, security and privacy concerns are paramount. This rings especially true for parents seeking to safeguard their child’s online identity. Lawmakers addressed parents’ concerns by creating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (“COPPA”). Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), COPPA applies to websites and “online services” […]

Starting A Food Business: From Soup to Nuts

You’re a good cook. You’ve worked in restaurants your whole life, starting as a dishwasher when you were 16 and you’ve worked your way up. You’ve been a sous chef for a number of years, but you want to make your own menu. You grew up cooking—both your mom and dad enjoy being in the […]

Can you Keep a (Trade) Secret? The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016

Before May 11, 2016, only three out of four forms of intellectual property – patents, trademarks and copyrights – were protectable and enforceable at the federal level. The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA) now provides federal protection for – you guessed it – trade secrets. Prior to the DTSA, trade secrets were enforced […]

5 Reasons to Work with Foundry, So That Foundry Can Work for You

Recently, I received an email from an existing client. They had interviewed several law firms including several larger ones before deciding to engage with Foundry. They appreciated our experience and approach. They wrote to let me know that their investors have expressed a preference that they work with a larger, more established law firm. This […]

Social Purpose Corporations: Beyond the Profits

Social Purpose Corporations (SPC) are an interesting and (relatively) new corporate form available in Washington State that gives directors and officers the luxury of exploring ways to positively impact their employees, community, and environment, with less fear of repercussions via legal action from angry shareholders.  If you are starting a company that has one of […]

Relief In Sight: Liquor & Cannabis Board to Consider Rules Changes

I have been telling my cannabis industry clients and constituents for two years to be patient; the regulations which, to a great extent, have choked the development and growth of the legal cannabis industry in Washington, will loosen up eventually. Washington’s restrictive and conservative approach, which has purposefully stayed under the federal oversight scrutiny, appears […]

Kickstarter Karma: Backers Fight Back

For many budding entrepreneurs, Kickstarter.com can be their answer to beginning their businesses…or a nightmare of angry “backers,” broken promises and refund demands.   Kickstarter provides a crowdsourcing platform for potential businesses and creative projects to gain not only funding, but also customers – before products or services are even launched to the public. According […]

Who wore it better? The grey area of copyright in the world of fashion design and imitations.

Trends in fashion tend to spread like wildfire amongst both retailers and consumers. Clothing companies endeavor to keep up with current styles and popular trends to market to customers, resulting in various products stemming from one “design.” When Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, her wedding dress was immediately replicated by various fashion houses […]