Author Archives: Janice L. Gauthier

About Janice L. Gauthier

Janice L. Gauthier received a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and an A.B., cum laude, from Harvard College. She began her career at the law firm of Sidley & Austin in Chicago, worked as Senior Attorney for The Marcus Corporation in Milwaukee and served as Vice President and General Counsel of a Milwaukee area real estate development company before fulfilling a long-cherished dream of starting her own business by establishing The Gauthier Law Group. She brings more than twenty years of experience to the representation of her clients. Ms. Gauthier is licensed to practice law in both Wisconsin and Illinois and is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. For more detailed information on Ms. Gauthier's background and experience, please visit www.gauthierlawgroup.com.

When to Create a Corporation, LLC or Other Entity for Your Startup

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

If you are thinking about launching a startup, or have already done so, you may be grappling with the question of whether, and when, you should create a corporation, LLC or other limited liability entity for your business. Perhaps you are aware that some startup founders begin without creating an entity, and you are now wondering if you should do the same.

Although I understand why founders are sometimes reluctant to spend time and money setting up an entity when they are not even sure if their business will be viable, I Continue reading →

4 Things to Do Before You Launch Your Startup

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Startup founders are an enthusiastic group. Inspired by a vision of what could be, they often move quickly to make their dream a reality.  In the rush to get your startup off the ground, however, be careful not to skip these important preliminary steps:

1.  REVIEW YOUR OBLIGATIONS TO CURRENT EMPLOYERS AND CLIENTS.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

Whether you are an employee or a consultant, you may have obligations that will limit what your startup can do.  Before you launch your startup, make sure you understand exactly what you can, and cannot, do under the terms of any existing agreements you have with an employer or client, and remember that these agreements often contain provisions that will be binding on you, even after you quit your job or stop providing consulting services.

Agreements that may affect your startup plans include: Continue reading →