The Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly forum for the community Wednesday afternoon.
Paul Evans, guest speaker and Parsons Behle & Latimer attorney, spoke to local business owners and Rexburg community members about important legal considerations every company should ponder.
Evans’ presentation, “Protecting What Matters Most to Your Business,” covered three key areas: employees, agreements and intellectual property.
Evans highlighted the importance of writing things down and taking ownership of intellectual property. He talked about the role good contracts play in a business.
“It’s important that you have good legal counsel review your contracts,” Evans said.
Throughout his presentation, Evans shared stories from clients he’s worked with. He told stories that highlighted the mistakes and triumphs of various unnamed businesses. According to Evans, one of the biggest mistakes many small businesses make is writing their own contracts or not getting legal counsel when writing contracts.
Evans also highlighted the nuances of copyright, patents, trademark and trade secrets. Copyright protects the distribution of original works. Patents protect an invention for a period of time. Trademark law protects brands. Trade secrets don’t depend on government protection; trade secrets must be kept confidential by the owners of the company.
Ultimately, Evans encouraged business owners to seek legal counsel when growing their businesses.
The Chamber of Commerce holds a forum on the second Wednesday of every month. The event is open to the public. They begin the meeting with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
In September, Madison Memorial Hospital will host the Chamber’s forum. Stephanie Tarnasky, founder of Love Olive Co., will talk about building business through social media.
The Rexburg Chamber of Commerce has more information about future forums and other events on its website.
