Defamation, Privacy and Publicity

This article explains the key legal issues that communications professionals must be aware of when preparing, publishing and broadcasting content over a variety of mediums.

Becoming a Business

The transition from being a freelancer to being a design firm involves a number of important steps. This article is an overview of the various start-up requirements for small businesses: choosing an ownership structure, choosing a name, dealing with local business issues and, lastly, becoming an employer.

Intellectual Property

This article provides an overview of the core issues for design and marketing: copyrights, trademarks and trade dress, utility patents and design patents. It also covers the basics of trade secrets and moral rights. It ends with some thoughts about the challenges of protecting intellectual property rights on the Internet and in global trade.

Freelancing for Design Firms and Agencies

This article explains the IRS definition of an independent contractor, reviews the benefits that self-employed people have (and do not have), and gives useful advice about the essential documents that define freelance relationships.

Legal Structures for the Design Firm

Every graphic design business has an optimal structure that will provide it with the maximum possible benefits. These may include tax benefits, protection from liability, continuity of existence, and the like.

AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services

This agreement allows you to create customized terms and conditions for different types of design engagements. Updated in May 2007, it is now modular to meet the needs of a growing design community involved in various disciplines.

Audio: AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services

Intellectual property attorney Linda Joy Kattwinkel (Owen, Wickersham & Erickson) and Shel Perkins introduce the AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services. They provide an overview of intellectual property rights and the legal basics of contracts, as well as explain the modular approach of this document.