E-Commerce

As business increasingly look to the Internet as a means of developing relationships, marketing, and transacting business, they face new business and legal challenges not encountered by traditional “brick and mortar” establishments. These challenges have created a need for attorneys who understand the unique business opportunities and obstacles presented by electronic commerce, and who have the ability to anticipate how traditional legal principles apply to this relatively new medium.

Partnering with clients to drive their prosperity.
OFP’s e-commerce attorneys offer diverse legal experience, access to knowledgeable attorneys in other often-relevant legal disciplines down the hall, and an intimate understanding of the e-commerce business environment. Regardless of the specific goods or services a client markets, buys, or sells, our interdisciplinary approach provides clients with practical, effective, and cost-efficient solutions to even the most complex legal problems. We also pride ourselves on exceeding the e-commerce industry’s high expectations for accessibility, responsiveness, and technological savvy.

From inception to expansion and beyond.
OFP attorneys regularly assist in the launch of e-commerce businesses by forming entities, negotiating and creating necessary joint ventures and strategic alliances. We also counsel clients in all aspects of the development and maintenance of e-commerce websites, including the drafting of web hosting and servicing agreements, content and technology licenses, legal disclaimers, terms of use, and privacy policies. OFP support continues throughout the growth of a client’s business, drafting and structuring Internet contracts, advising on the legal aspects of Internet marketing, and ensuring compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. As our client’s principals look to transition out of the business, we assist in succession planning and the creation and implementation of exit strategies, whether by acquisition or otherwise. Our business-minded approach makes us a valuable asset to any e-commerce business, at any stage of development.

Knowledgeable e-commerce litigators.
OFP’s e-commerce practice litigators address the novel issues raised by legal disputes throughout the lifecycle of a client’s e-commerce business. These include the exercise of personal jurisdiction based upon a party’s Internet “contacts” with a forum, Internet defamation issues and the effect of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, trademark and copyright infringement issues including the application of trademark law to keyword advertising, domain name disputes, and issues pertaining to the enforcement of Internet contracts.