# Legal Structure



## bloglife (Aug 12, 2011)

I am preparing to start a clothing brand. I will print provocative designs on tshirts and sell them to friends at parties and also through an ecommerce site. The only people involved thus far are my wife and I. 

I believe my first step should be to patent my business name and logo. I was wondering how to do this and I also was unsure how to establish my business as far as the legal strucure and that sort of thing. I live in Mesa, AZ.

Please help! I am very young and inexperienced:/


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## bloglife (Aug 12, 2011)

I also want to add that I haven't even started printing shirts and I just want to do the bear minimum of what is necessary legal-wise until I actually start making money. I don't want to pay a laywer or accountant or anything.


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## kimura-mma (Jul 26, 2008)

Brand names and logos are eligible for trademark, not patent.

But if you want to do the bare minimum to get started, you should not worry about registering trademarks. Because if someone actually does infringe on your trademark, the only way to take action is through an attorney. And you don't seem to want to do that. So it's probably not worth spending the money. Use your funds on production and marketing instead.

As far as the legal structure, you will probably want to register an LLC. Try Googling "starting a business in Arizona" and you will find plenty of resources with info and links to all the paperwork you need to submit.


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## girlfish (Aug 3, 2011)

If you're just starting out and don't have a lot of money, I wouldn't trademark your logo just yet. You will have to pay additional fees to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office as an "intent to use" than if you have already begun using your logo. In regards to the legal set-up, I think you should be ok registering as a sole proprietor since your venture sounds small. BTW, it's always safer financially to start small.


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## True Beauty (Aug 13, 2011)

I just did all the start up for my company and man they dont teach this stuff in school. I believe i am a pretty knowledgable guy but finally just had to do S-corp paperwork and tradmark through Legal Zoom. You just get frustrated sitting on the phone with the state and gov't and trying to look up answers. The trademark is not cost effective for new company at all because you have to trademark everything individually name, logo etc... It gets pricey. Your company will make a lot of changes as it goes along tradmarking a logo probably wouldnt be smart in the beggining but if you are set on the name go for it.


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## GN (Aug 1, 2011)

True Beauty said:


> I just did all the start up for my company and man they dont teach this stuff in school. I believe i am a pretty knowledgable guy but finally just had to do S-corp paperwork and tradmark through Legal Zoom. You just get frustrated sitting on the phone with the state and gov't and trying to look up answers. The trademark is not cost effective for new company at all because you have to trademark everything individually name, logo etc... It gets pricey. Your company will make a lot of changes as it goes along tradmarking a logo probably wouldnt be smart in the beggining but if you are set on the name go for it.


 Why did you choose S corp over LLC? I have been trying to discern a good reason to go either way for weeks now. I understand some, but not all reasons as to why one is better over the other. I am leaning toward an S Corp but it seems most people go the LLC route and I wonder if that is just because "thats what most people do" lol OR if most people are smarter than me and know something I don't! Any insight is greatly appreciated!


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## tiedupcustom (Aug 10, 2011)

You will have to pay additional fees to Government .then they approved it .


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