I Can’t Pre-Guarantee Your Case

I regularly receive emails from prospective clients who explain the gist of the situation they’re in followed by, “Do I have a case?” A variation of this email is the prospective client who sends me a small section of a contract they signed and a short summary of the situation they’re in and then they… [Continue Reading]

Keep Your Clothes On, Kids!

I regularly get messages from teens or their parents that say the kid was chatting online with someone they don’t know in real life. The person convinces the child to show their genitals or masturbate for them using their web cam. The person then says that they captured the video and threaten to post it… [Continue Reading]

How to Write a Decent Trademark Cease and Desist Letter

A friend recently forwarded me a trademark cease and desist letter he received and asked if it was anything they needed to worry about. Now, I always tell my clients to take such letters seriously, and give them their due consideration, but then I read this particular letter. It was possibly the worst cease and… [Continue Reading]

How to Legally Use User-Generated Content

Here’s a question I get from companies and their marketers: What are the legal dos and don’ts for using user-generated content? These are situations where a company wants to use a photo, video, or text created by one of their fans, usually from a site like Instagram, Facebook, or Trip Advisor. Many companies merely want… [Continue Reading]

Side Hustle Contracts

Note: The links for Chris Guillebeau’s books are affiliate links. I admire people like Chris Guillebeau who run with ideas and make stuff happen. He’s written a number of books, including The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future. The most recent book of… [Continue Reading]

Legal Checklist to Protect Online Entrepreneurs

I was recently asked to create a list of what legal steps an entrepreneur should take if they operate solely online to protect their business. The person who asked appears to be primarily a YouTuber. Here’s the list I created for him:  1. Consider having Two LLCs. One is a holding company for the intellectual… [Continue Reading]

Who We Are

Sunset in AZ by Miguel Folch

Carter Law Firm is the umbrella company for my professional speaking and writing activities. My goals are to give people the legal foundation and educational tools they need to run with their ideas and to empower people to pursue their crazy … [Read More]

Speaking Engagements

You’ve read my blog posts and you’ve seen my YouTube videos, now you can hire me to speak at your event or organization. I am available to speak at conferences, continuing legal education events (CLEs), trainings, webinars, podcasts, radio shows, TV … [Read More]

Books

I have been a passionate blogger since 2009. After contributing to several books, I decided to become an author myself. My books expand on many of the topics that have appeared on my blog posts over the years and breaks down legal concepts so … [Read more]

Featured Posts

Starting a Business in Arizona

Starting a business is exciting and can be overwhelming at times with everything that has to get done. I wish more business owners put more energy into creating structure within their business when they contemplate and launch their endeavors. It will save a lot of pain and frustration in the long run. If your plans […]

Crazy Contract Clauses

I love contracts. I know this makes me a big legal dork, but I love writing them and reviewing them. A contract is the documentation of how a relationship is going to work and as long as the provisions aren’t illegal, you can put in whatever you want. There’s a lot of room for creativity, […]

Connect