Small business owners and entrepreneurs must have a working knowledge of many different fields, including the law. This course covers the basics of business law as it pertains to small businesses, franchises, and entrepreneurial endeavors. The topics include legal structures for new ventures, contracts, intellectual property rights, real property, employee rights, tax responsibilities, and product warranties and liabilities. While small business owners should be familiar with these issues, there is no substitute for having qualified legal counsel. Therefore, the course also explores the relationship between a small business and its legal representatives, how to find a small business lawyer, and at what stage legal counsel should be sought.