Spring is here! As the flowers bloom and the air freshens, it's not just your home that could use a little tidying up — your creative business could benefit from some spring cleaning too.
Whether you're a filmmaker, podcaster, theatre professional, or digital entrepreneur, staying on top of your legal affairs is essential to maintaining protection and ensuring smooth operations. Here’s a handy checklist of key legal maintenance tasks to tackle this season.
1. Create or Update Annual LLC/Corporate Minutes and File Annual Statements
If you operate as an LLC or corporation, maintaining proper records is crucial for preserving your liability protection. Many states require you to hold an annual meeting and document key decisions in your corporate minutes. Filing your annual statement with your state’s Secretary of State office is also essential to keep your entity in good standing.
2. File Your Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report
New federal rules now require many businesses to file a BOI report with FinCEN (the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network). This report discloses the individuals who own or control your business. Non-compliance can result in hefty penalties, so don’t skip this step. (Even though, for now, the government has stated that it isn't enforcing penalties, that can change quickly, so we're recommending filing). Let us know if you want help.
3. Secure Trademark Protection for Your Brand
Your company or podcast name, production company brand, or creative project title is among your most valuable assets. Securing trademark protection ensures no one else can claim your hard-earned reputation. If you haven’t registered your trademarks, now’s the time to take action.
4. Register Copyright for Your Valuable Content
If you’ve created original content — including scripts, videos, music, or podcasts — consider registering your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration enhances your ability to protect your work from unauthorized use and seek statutory damages if infringement occurs.
5. Review and Refresh Your Frequently Used Contracts
Your NDAs, Consulting Agreements, and client or customer agreements should be reviewed regularly to ensure they align with current legal standards and best practices. Outdated contract language could leave you vulnerable, so now’s the perfect time to refresh your templates.
6. Update Your Media Asset and IP Inventory
Tracking your intellectual property — including copyrighted works, trademarks, and digital content — helps you maintain ownership and identify potential licensing or revenue opportunities. Creating or updating your inventory ensures you’re properly documenting your valuable creative assets.
7. Review Your Website’s Legal Documents
Privacy policies, terms of use, and disclaimers are vital for protecting your business. Outdated policies may fail to meet legal requirements or best practices, so reviewing and updating them regularly is important.
8. Audit Your Licensing Agreements
If you’ve licensed out your content, ensure those agreements are still aligned with your goals. Conversely, if you’ve obtained licenses for music, footage, or other assets, check for renewal terms or obligations you need to meet.
9. Review option and contract renewal dates. Whichever side of a deal you're on, missing the renewal, extension or exercise dates can be devastating to your plans and costly to correct. Create a renewal calendar and keep it up-to-date. Each time you sign a contract, make sure you note the important timeline dates and put notes in your calendar a few weeks before them.
Taking the time to refresh your legal affairs can help you avoid problems down the road — and ensure your creative business is protected and poised for growth.
If you'd like help with any of these legal housekeeping tasks, I’m here to help. Let's make this season of renewal one of growth and security for your business.
Contact me today to schedule your legal spring cleaning session!
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