Benefit Corporation

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The Health of Hybrid Entities: How many benefit corporations and social purpose corporations are out there? A comparison and data analysis on the SPC’s relative success.

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Dispute Resolution, Flat Fees, Intellectual property, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

Last month, over at SocentLaw, I came across an interesting blog post by Haskell Murray explaining a collaborative attempt to quantify how many benefit corporations exist across the US. The post is quick to admit that the numbers cannot be completely trusted because the relevant state agencies (usually the secretary of state) don’t necessarily have …

The Health of Hybrid Entities: How many benefit corporations and social purpose corporations are out there? A comparison and data analysis on the SPC’s relative success. Read More »

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Patagonia Launches In House Fund

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, nonprofit, Projects, SEC, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation, Venture Capital / By

There is lots of movement in the social impact investment space lately it seems.  Yesterday on Businessweek.com there was an interesting piece on Patagonia, California’s first Benefit Corporation, and its announcement of the creation of an in house venture fund aimed at startups looking to make a positive social impact in these distinct areas:  clothing, …

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The Recipe for Social Entrepreneurship – Love of Jojo’s Sriracha Sauce

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Crowdfunding, Crowdfunding Act, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, Mission, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

In our day-to-day practice at Apex Law, we are lucky enough to come into contact with many social entrepreneurs who are seeking advice on how to structure and implement their socially motivated business.  Now, generally, this conversation starts with a discussion of what business entity is best suited for a particular venture.  Should it be …

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Social Entrepreneurship Articles and an Event for the Week of Sept. 9, 2012

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

  I’ve recently come across a couple of interesting articles that I felt were worth sharing with the community.  Also, there’s an event on the SPC this week that some of you may consider attending: 1. The Truth about Ben and Jerry’s Widely used as the impetus for the benefit corporation, there was more going on …

Social Entrepreneurship Articles and an Event for the Week of Sept. 9, 2012 Read More »

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Capital and Control: The final two considerations for determining legal structure for your Social Enterprise.

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Finance, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, L3C, Mission, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation, Venture Capital / By

You want to make a change with your new business venture and you’re ready to file the necessary paper work to form a legal structure, but what type of legal structure should you form?  Because your idea combines for-profit considerations and nonprofit motives, you’re a little confused about whether you should form a nonprofit, a …

Capital and Control: The final two considerations for determining legal structure for your Social Enterprise. Read More »

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The Latest on Washington State’s Social Purpose Corporation – Is Seattle the Capital for Social Entrepreneurship?

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Intellectual property, L3C, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Startup & Formation / By

Over the course of my routine internet reading this past week, I came across a large number of blogs and stories regarding the Social Purpose Corporation and some creative ways to use the legal structure.  So I thought I would share. Seattle Social Purpose Corporation Meetup First, I should note that there’s a meetup in …

The Latest on Washington State’s Social Purpose Corporation – Is Seattle the Capital for Social Entrepreneurship? Read More »

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The Difference Between a Benefit Corporation and a (certified) B-Corp

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, L3C, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

I’m often asked:  What’s the difference between a benefit corporation and a B-Corp, are they the same thing? No, these are not the same thing.  The benefit corporation is a legal structure available for incorporation in several states,[1] whereas a B-Corp is a certification granted by B-Labs, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation.  Think of benefit corporations …

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Are the managers of traditional corporations “really” required to maximize profits to shareholders? A review of eBay v. Craiglist et al, in the argument supporting “hybrid” social enterprises.

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, L3C, Mission, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

Over at her blog Razesquire, Karen Raz asked an interesting question summarized as follows: where in the law does it say that traditional corporations must pursue a duty to maximize profits at the expense of social and environmental considerations? Although proponents of hybrid entities (benefit corporations, social purpose corporations, etc.) will tell you that management …

Are the managers of traditional corporations “really” required to maximize profits to shareholders? A review of eBay v. Craiglist et al, in the argument supporting “hybrid” social enterprises. Read More »

Why a start-up should use an attorney to help form their business structure from “This Week in Startups”

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Flat Fees, Intellectual property, L3C, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation, Venture Capital / By

Here’s a question I often get: should I use an attorney when first form my company, or should I go with a web-based service, or should I do it myself? Typically, I’d recommend that you use an attorney. Web-based products tend to shoehorn young companies into a corporate structure that doesn’t make sense and they …

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Benefit Enforcement Proceedings for the Benefit Corporation– What are they and How will they work?

Articles, Benefit Corporation, Business Transactions & Services, Dispute Resolution, Flat Fees, Flexible Purpose Corporation, Intellectual property, L3C, Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise & Nonprofit, Social Entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Purpose Corporation, Startup & Formation / By

As more and more states enact legislation authorizing Benefit Corporations, more questions will be asked about the form and function of these hybrid entities.  Nowhere are these questions more evident than when examining the dispute resolution process set forth in the various state statutes. A quick primer.  Benefit Corporations are designed to allow a corporation …

Benefit Enforcement Proceedings for the Benefit Corporation– What are they and How will they work? Read More »

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