Chambliss Startup Group takes a comprehensive, 360° approach to advising entrepreneurs, emerging and high growth companies, and investors. We are deeply rooted in the startup community and counsel clients in a variety of industries, including healthtech, 3-D printing, transportation and logistics, real estate, and manufacturing. Some of our clients gaining national recognition include: Branch Technology, Pass It Down, CO.STARTERS, and International Maritime Security Associates.

We advise businesses and entrepreneurs on raising capital and investments, IP protection, employment considerations, general business strategies, complex transactions and contracts, and risk mitigation. From the complex situations to the fundamental questions – we are here for it all. Our experience encompasses all stages of business development and structuring to meet the evolving needs of our clients. Founders, executives, investors, and community stakeholders turn to our team for advice because they value our passion, commitment to the startup community, and diverse skill sets. Maximizing opportunity by providing forward thinking strategies and cost effective legal solutions, including flexible fee arrangements, is our top priority.

We serve clients across the U.S. in a variety of industries and are a dedicated partner in Chattanooga's rapidly evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our firm's longstanding relationship with EPB has enabled us to be on the ground floor with some of Chattanooga’s most innovative technology projects, including The Gig, and we work closely with The Enterprise Center on supporting Chattanooga's Innovation District. Our attorneys dedicate their time supporting The Company Lab (CO.LAB) and other local organizations, frequently serving as mentors in accelerator programs, offering community office hours, speaking at Startup Week Cha, evaluating pitches at demo events, volunteering as board members, and providing insight through the Chambliss Startup Group blog.

What We See on the Horizon

Contact Chambliss Startup Group for our latest insights:

• Prioritize your legal needs and protect your biggest assets early on. Identify your intellectual property, ensure you are not infringing third party rights, and take steps to secure those rights by making sure all IP is assigned to the company by employees and/or contractors. Options for protection may be through trademark, copyright, patent registration, trade secret, or other means.
• Employers today face constant hurdles in their day-to-day operations, and startups are no different. Emerging businesses and companies in their infancy are vulnerable and need to be aware of the laws so they can take appropriate action to ensure that they are protected against employment violations. Startups should be aware of two issues in particular: 1) wage and hour requirements and 2) protecting intellectual property and company goodwill.
• According to the old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," the dollars you spend now on cyber preparedness and prevention could save your organization many more dollars in the future. If your organization has privacy or security-related regulatory obligations and fails to satisfy those obligations by putting required measures in place, it could incur significant regulatory fines and other liabilities in the event of a cyberattack. All companies should look at the data they collect and take steps to protect it.
• If you think you have an invention, do not disclose the "secret sauce" to anyone before you file a patent application with the USPTO. If inventors do not file before disclosing or selling, they run the risk of being "barred" (i.e., prevented) from getting a patent in the future for what they've sold or disclosed. Or, if they were to be awarded the patent after selling or disclosing the invention, the patent could potentially be invalidated.

A Snapshot of Our Depth

• Entity choice and formation including LLC, partnership, sole proprietorship, C-Corp, S-Corp, and corporation
• Fundraising, capital, and investment options
• Contract preparation for employees, suppliers, and vendors
• Intellectual property protection, defense against infringement, and advertising advice; patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, etc.
• Cybersecurity and data privacy
• Compliance with state, federal and international data privacy laws and regulations including HIPAA, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Liability limitation strategies and dispute resolution
• Employment and independent contractor issues including matters related to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), confidentiality, and non-disclosure agreements
• Website privacy policies, terms of use, and SaaS agreements
• Lease and real estate agreements
• Guidance on today's technology laws and regulations
• Stock options and incentive plans, executive compensation
• Sale or transfer of ownership interests