marcus van geyzel

Oversights which could destroy your startup or small business

Marcus van GeyzelLeave a comment

This post is a part of a series based on my Law for Startups workshop at MaGIC in September 2015. It’s a basic introduction to legalities for startup founders. You can .

Read the earlier posts for context:

  1. Law for startups in Malaysia — building on the best foundations.
  2. The legal landscape in Malaysia for startups — a hybrid of traditional corporate practices and Silicon Valley models.
  3. Choosing the right business vehicle for your startup or small business in Malaysia.
  4. When should a startup hire a lawyer?

The opening slide for this part of the workshop reads — “Don’t let your business end up like the Titanic”.

Not something your startup wants to see in its journey.
Not something your startup wants to see in its journey.

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DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — time for a reality check

Marcus van GeyzelLeave a comment

This post is part of an on-going series. Please read the following earlier posts for context:

  1. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — can we really do it without lawyers?
  2. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — why some people think you don’t need lawyers in a sale and purchase of property.
  3. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — understanding the basics of a sale and purchase property.
  4. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — sale and purchase and loan agreements.

The earlier posts provided a very quick tour of what’s involved in a basic sale and purchase of property.

We had an ideal earlier about conveyancing being essentially about swapping the keys for money — but what is the reality?

The ideal from an earlier post:
The ideal from an earlier post: “Let’s swap! Who needs lawyers anyway?”

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When should a startup hire a lawyer?

Marcus van Geyzel6 Comments

This post is a part of a series based on my Law for Startups workshop at MaGIC in September 2015. It’s a basic introduction to legalities for startup founders. You can .

Read the earlier posts for context:

  1. Law for startups in Malaysia — building on the best foundations.
  2. The legal landscape in Malaysia for startups — a hybrid of traditional corporate practices and Silicon Valley models.
  3. Choosing the right business vehicle for your startup or small business in Malaysia.

As with any business venture, startups need to get good professional advice from experts. Typically these advisors will cover legal, financial, and tax advice.

Time to lawyer up!
Time to lawyer up!

Lawyers have a bad reputation

Most people would prefer if they could avoid dealing with lawyers. When there’s a negotiation or discussion and people say get the lawyers involved, suddenly everyone gets a bit more serious and defensive.

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DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — sale and purchase and loan agreements

Marcus van Geyzel4 Comments

This post is part of an on-going series. Please read the following earlier posts for context:

  1. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — can we really do it without lawyers?
  2. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — why some people think you don’t need lawyers in a sale and purchase of property.
  3. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — understanding the basics of a sale and purchase property.

THE SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Having considered all of the basic issues which would arise in a normal sale and purchase transaction, we come down to the most important document — the sale and purchase agreement.

Taking the attendees through basic conveyancing issues.
Taking the attendees through basic conveyancing issues.

Continue reading →

Choosing the right business vehicle for your startup or small business in Malaysia

Marcus van GeyzelLeave a comment

This post is a part of a series based on my Law for Startups workshop at MaGIC in September 2015. It’s a basic introduction to legalities for startup founders. You can .

Read the earlier posts for context:

  1. Law for startups in Malaysia — building on the best foundations.
  2. The legal landscape in Malaysia for startups — a hybrid of traditional corporate practices and Silicon Valley models.

One of the earliest decisions that a startup or small business founder will have to make is choosing the right business vehicle through which the business/idea will be carried out.

Business vehicle options

The most common business vehicle options in Malaysia are —

  1. sole proprietorships / partnerships;
  2. private limited liability companies (Companies / Sdn Bhd); and
  3. most recently, the limited liability partnership (LLP).
Unfortunately, Elon hasn't made this vehicle available in Malaysia yet.
Unfortunately, Elon hasn’t made this vehicle available in Malaysia yet.

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DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — understanding the basics of a sale and purchase of property

Marcus van Geyzel7 Comments

This post is part of an on-going series. Please read the following earlier posts for context:

  1. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — can we really do it without lawyers?
  2. DIY legal documents for conveyancing transactions — why some people think you don’t need lawyers in a sale and purchase of property.

In the previous post, we’ve seen how the over-simplified concept of the conveyancing process — the ideal in their minds — leads some to think that it isn’t necessary for lawyers to be part of the process.

Let’s now take a quick tour of some of the basic issues that come up in a conveyancing process so that we can appreciate the reality of a sale and purchase transaction.

Those who think you can complete a conveyancing transaction without a lawyer please raise your hands.
Those who think you can complete a conveyancing transaction without a lawyer please raise your hands.

Continue reading →