Embedded GR — The BUSKLAW Newsletter

I had the privilege of presenting at the Embedded GR group meeting at The Geek Group Lab on January 25. The meeting topic was "Contracting, Consulting, Moonlighting, and Independent R&D," and I spoke about legal and business "red flags" in contractor agreements. Around 30 engineers were in the audience, along with two motley dogs, plenty of geek food (pizza and pop), and a fellow Grand Rapids IT attorney and Hope College grad, Elliott J.R.Church.

I learned a lot at the meeting and had a grand time. These IT engineers and software developers are a very entrepreneurial bunch and were receptive to me expounding on what contractors should worry about when asked to sign a client-drafted consulting contractor agreement. Here's the link to my PowerPoint deck, if you're interested.

The camaraderie among this group reminded me of my late father's associates - wildcatters -in the "oil business" in Michigan in the 1940s and 50s. These guys had their own lingo in discussing where to drill for oil in Michigan and how to raise funds to finance their activity. I was only a kid at the time, but I sensed that they enjoyed each other's company and usually drilled - and discovered - oil without friction between them. (For a rare Michigan Supreme Court case among wildcatters that involved my dad, see Rex Oil & Gas Company v Busk.)

So the IT business in West Michigan is booming, and I hope to learn how I can meet their legal needs given my expertise in that area.

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Organizers of the Embedded GR IT group invited me to attend their next meeting to discuss the legal aspects of folks working as independent contractors on IT engagements. Although my experience in this field has been on the "other side of the table" (i.e., representing businesses hiring these contractors), I do have some thoughts on what contractors should - from a legal view - NOT agree to.

Embedded GR is a group of engineers, hobbyists, students, and managers in the Grand Rapids, MI area. They discuss the development, tooling, and processes associated with the creation of embedded systems.

I appreciate the opportunity to share my legal expertise with this group. Much of what I say will apply to all contractors working on projects for employers, regardless of whether their work relates to embedded systems. So if you are a contractor (doing work of any sort), you may want to attend to get my take on what you should avoid (or at least push back on) when signing a contractor agreement with a Michigan business.

As I understand, the meeting is open to anyone who is interested; sign-up information is here.

I'll share the best parts of this meeting and my presentation in next month's newsletter.

Best wishes to my few (but steadfast) readers for a blessed 2017.

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If you find this post worthwhile, please consider sharing it with your colleagues. The link to this blog is www.busklaw.blogspot.com and my website is www.busklaw.com. Thanks!