Legal Research

Whether you're keeping abreast of laws that may affect your business or discovering your rights and responsibilities as a business owner, there are plenty of sites where you can quickly find the legal and administrative information you need. Below are some of the best on the Net.

FindLaw
If you're looking for legal information on the Internet, the FindLaw portal is an excellent first step. Within each section you'll find relevant articles, briefs, and books, as well as links to related sites. There's also a listing of firms specializing in each area. Entrepreneurs will probably want to zero in on the guides for "Starting and Running a Small Business," "The Legal Survival Guide for Employers," and the "Silicon Valley Center."

Nolo Self-Help Law Centers
Nolo Press, a publisher of legal books, has created an great online series of plain-English legal guides. Although their purpose is to sell books, the guides are chock full of useful information and the selling pitches are not intrusive. Small business, employment law, and trademarks are just a few of the topics covered.

LawGuru BBS
Have a legal question, but don't think it's big enough to warrant hiring a lawyer? Try the LawGuru bulletin board service (BBS). A listing of legal questions answered by attorneys, this comprehensive BBS can point you in the right direction. You can browse through topics already discussed or post questions specific to your business.

FindForms
There is a mountain of paperwork related to starting, expanding and selling a business, and finding the correct forms to fill out is half the battle. The FindForms search engine boasts a free database of about 3,000 legal forms and links to forms required by U.S. state, local, and federal laws. FindForms also has a "premium" database of about 12,000 forms that you can buy for a fee.

Law.com
Although it is targeted to legal professionals, Law.com is an excellent resource for entrepreneurs who want to keep up on legal news that affects their industry. The site is updated daily with articles that were originally published by major media outlets.

FedWorld Information Network
A program of the U.S. Department of Commerce, this site is a comprehensive locator of information disseminated by the government, covering Websites and all government reports and publications. Easy to use and accessible, it's a great place to start a search of federal laws, regulations and practices.

EEOC Small Business Information
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has an FAQ that informs small business owners of their responsibilities under federal anti-discrimination laws. If you're planning to recruit, hire, promote, or fire an employee, you should keep these responsibilities in mind.

Business Filings
The process of forming a business can be daunting. Business Filings is a commercial Website that can help guide you through the process in all 50 states. Features include a free name check and FAQs about forming a corporation, LLC or nonprofit.