General Counsel Manual
Other Tips for You and Your Clients
Trademarks
Practice Tip: You can help clients protect their intellectual property – which is a form of capital – if you become familiar with State trademarks. You can then advise (or refer) start-ups, small businesses and other businesses about the value, acquisition, and maintenance of a State trademark. Click Trademarks for more information about State trademarks.
Practice Tip: Counterfeit trademarked goods harm North Carolina citizens, businesses, and the North Carolina economy. Advise your clients about protecting their trademarks. See Trademark Counterfeit Enforcement to learn more about our Trademark Enforcement Unit that investigates criminal activity involving counterfeit trademarked goods.
Securities You can help your business clients if you become aware of what is, and is not, a security. You don’t want to be surprised. For more information, see Securities.
Practice Tip: You can help your clients by sharing information from our Securities Division about how to protect yourself (or your clients) from securities and investment fraud and scams. For more information, see Securities
Less Well-Known Things We Do
- Regulate Athlete Agents
- Register Business Opportunities Sales
- Register Loan Brokers
- Register Membership Campgrounds
- Administer portions of the State Cable Television Franchise Act
- Register Telephonic Sellers
- Receive and maintain records of appointments to certain State government boards, commissions, and councils. See Appointment Reporting for details.
How You Can Help Us
Nonprofit Corporations
Practice Tip: If you represent, serve on the board of, or simply support a nonprofit, remind the people in charge that they should go to our website at least once a year and check their records. They should update those records if any changes have been made. The reason is that nonprofit corporations are not required to file Annual Reports with us. Although they are required to provide us with updates of certain information when it changes, they often forget