Whether you are a start-up just launching your e-commerce venture, or a legacy brick and mortar with billions in revenue that is determined to stay viable well into the future, you need to be certain that you have taken all steps necessary to be in compliance, and that your business is sufficiently protected from any disputes or allegations that may arise. In today’s competitive and rapidly evolving online retail space, Carrington Coleman provides priceless peace of mind.

Today’s retail customers not only expect but are positively and impatiently demanding an easy, online shopping experience on every device they own. The pandemic has only further highlighted this phenomenon, which is here to stay. Whatever product you are selling—something of your own creation, or items you are distributing as a reseller—our team can provide practical and actionable legal advice that takes into account the context of your specific business, and provides you with true value.

The A to Z of E-commerce

E-commerce is all about your brand, which begins with securing an appropriate—and available—trademark and domain name, and then keeping these assets strong and safe. While these days it is relatively easy to build a website, complying with all applicable data protection and privacy, plus accessibility regulations becomes significantly more complicated. For your online sales platform, you can either work with developers to create something original, or select from among a number of plug-and-play options that require little or no coding knowledge. And finally, you may contract with existing entities such as Amazon, Etsy, eBay and others, to sell as an authorized retailer on their sites. It is critical that you understand the ways in which all of these collaborative contractual relationships can both legally and financially impact your business.

Other complex contractual components abound, from the numerous supply and distribution agreements you will likely enter into, to the terms and conditions you must have in place on your own website. We can confidently guide you through all of these issues—and all of the disputes that arise from them—relating to any aspect of your online retail venture. We don’t limit our type of clientele, representing both billion dollar public and international companies and local mom and pops. For many of our retail and e-commerce clients, we regularly serve as outside general counsel for their companies and do exactly that.  

How we work

Our team comprises a blend of smart and dynamic transactional attorneys and litigators, many of whom came to the firm as laterals from much larger law firms around the country. Others joined the firm directly after completing prestigious judicial clerkships, and are now offering those valuable insights and experiences to our clients. We hold ourselves to incredibly high standards.

When we staff matters, we do so with an eye not only towards relevant experience but, while this might sound odd,also enjoyment—asking not only, “Who would our client most enjoy working with on this?” but also “Who among us would most enjoy working on this matter?” The fact that we truly love what we do, and that this clearly comes through, may help to explain why some of our clients have been with the firm since our inception roughly half a century ago. We share our clients’ entrepreneurial spirit and look forward to innovating together to help them create and sustain their vision.

Primary Contacts

Areas of Focus

Brand Protection

Our experienced intellectual property attorneys can procure and protect your most valuable e-commerce asset, your brand. And we will do so with the global mindset that an online storefront demands.

Intellectual Property

We offer the full range of IP services, from copyright, to trademark to patents, and trade secrets.

Contracts

From your agreements with partners, developers, vendors, suppliers, or distributors, or even your terms and conditions for your own customers, we’ve got you covered.

Website

While it is fairly easy to DIY a website these days, issues related to privacy, cybersecurity, accessibility for disabled visitors, and data protection (both your own, and that of your customers) are much more complicated and fraught with legal risk. Small to midsized businesses can be especially vulnerable; let us be a resource for you.

Tax

Do you understand all of the sales tax and other implications of running an online business? You cannot afford not to; we will ensure you are in compliance.

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

For any disputes, allegations or investigations that may arise in the course of structuring or operating your online business, you can feel more confident knowing you’ve got our entire team behind you.

Distribution and Supply Chain

From the underlying contracts to the inevitable disputes, consider us your legal supply chain source.

Product Regulations and Compliance

We can help you to stay abreast of, and within the bounds of, all applicable regulations and other requirements, so you can focus on what you do best.