The University of Pittsburgh Innovation Institute, Carnegie Mellon University’s Project Olympus startup incubator and the Innovation Practice Institute at the Pitt School of Law are presenting the Start Smart legal seminar series to provide legal education to entrepreneurs, both from Pitt and CMU, and the community at large.
“There are many legal issues that entrepreneurs face as they work to make their dream of running their own business a reality. Start Smart provides fundamental legal education to help them navigate those issues more efficiently and avoid some common pitfalls,” said Stephanie Dangel, Executive Director of the Innovative Practice Institute.
Start Smart seminars, sponsored by Pittsburgh law firm K&L Gates, cover several topics including:
- Company formation
- Contract basics
- Structuring third party relationships
- Raising capital
- Protecting intellectual property
- Starting a business with a F-1 visa
- Employment law
- Preparing for an exit
The seminars are free and open to the public, with the locations alternating between Newell Simon Hall, adjacent to the Gates Center for Computer Science on the campus of Carnegie Mellon, and the Barco Law Building on Pitt’s campus at 3900 Forbes Avenue.
“We are pleased to partner with Pitt to provide this valuable resource, both for academic entrepreneurs, and the community at large,” said Kit Needham, entrepreneur in residence and associate director of Project Olympus. “We are particularly grateful for the support of K&L Gates, which recognizes the importance of entrepreneurship as a primary driver our region’s vitality."
The first seminar is scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2016, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Newell Simon Hall, Room 3305. Entitled “Contract Basics” the seminar will address what entrepreneurs should know about the contracting process, including pre-agreements, such as binding and non-binding letters of intent, term sheets and memoranda of understanding, as well as typical types of contracts, including licenses, leases, customer contracts and employment agreements.
For a full Start Smart schedule and to register for the free seminars, click here.
Sponsored by:
Contacts:
Stephanie Dangel
Executive Director
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Innovative Practice Institute
SAD111@pitt.edu
Kit Needham
Associate Director
Carnegie Mellon University
Project Olympus
kit@cs.cmu.edu