OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
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OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
So I founded a startup and incorporated it. We tried to develop a team and did some research but never got to do anything substantial.
I was working as a founder and corporate counsel (incorporation, employment law, etc) but I haven't been licensed yet. I looked up some laws online to figure out what the company should do. We had a few other people (engineers) but they all left eventually.
In this case, is it OK to state "Corporate Counsel" on my resume? If not, what title would be a better option?
Please focus on my question, rather than, say, why do you want to state a failed startup experience - type of question.
Thank you.
I was working as a founder and corporate counsel (incorporation, employment law, etc) but I haven't been licensed yet. I looked up some laws online to figure out what the company should do. We had a few other people (engineers) but they all left eventually.
In this case, is it OK to state "Corporate Counsel" on my resume? If not, what title would be a better option?
Please focus on my question, rather than, say, why do you want to state a failed startup experience - type of question.
Thank you.
- Vincent Adultman
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
lol I wouldn't represent that you did legal work prior to being licensed.
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Martin Brody wrote:lol I wouldn't represent that you did legal work prior to being licensed.
Last edited by blueapple on Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- North
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Anonymous User wrote:Please focus on my question, rather than, say, why do you want to state a failed startup experience - type of question.
Thank you.
I love when people asking for free advice on the internet have demands like this.
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Why do you want to state a failed startup experience?
- jchiles
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Were you ever listed as corporate counsel on a website, document, or business card, or was it just a title you and your friends at the startup used.
- mjb447
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Martin Brody wrote:lol I wouldn't represent that you did legal work prior to being licensed.
and
malibustacy wrote:Why do you want to state a failed startup experience?
Together at last!
I guess you could say founder, president, CEO, or something like that, but it doesn't seem to me that putting this on your resume makes a lot of sense.
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
No. It's not okay
- pancakes3
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
is OP a law student or someone who's failed the bar (or just never took it)?
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
from what you've written here it sounds like you've been practicing law without a license. any response to that?
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Calling yourself corproate counsel when you don't have a license to practice law is a bad idea. Put Co-Founder, or whatever officer title you held
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Unauthorized Practice of Law is actually a low felony in some states. I would certainly not indicate on any writing that you acted as "counsel" in any way, shape or form.
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- MKC
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Should probably just list "Practiced Law without a License" in the experience description for your startup.
Last edited by MKC on Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- pancakes3
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
the "don't associate yourself with a failed company" aspect takes a 3rd row back seat to "practicing without a license" and "did no substantive legal work" aspect
- MKC
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Also, "Soon to be disqualified from sitting for the bar due to C&F violations" would be fine to list as a bullet point.
Last edited by MKC on Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- cron1834
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Anonymous User wrote:So I founded a startup and incorporated it. We tried to develop a team and did some research but never got to do anything substantial.
I was working as a founder and corporate counsel (incorporation, employment law, etc) but I haven't been licensed yet. I looked up some laws online to figure out what the company should do. We had a few other people (engineers) but they all left eventually.
In this case, is it OK to state "Corporate Counsel" on my resume? If not, what title would be a better option?
Please focus on my question, rather than, say, why do you want to state a failed startup experience - type of question.
Thank you.
Are you serious?
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
cron1834 wrote:Anonymous User wrote:So I founded a startup and incorporated it. We tried to develop a team and did some research but never got to do anything substantial.
I was working as a founder and corporate counsel (incorporation, employment law, etc) but I haven't been licensed yet. I looked up some laws online to figure out what the company should do. We had a few other people (engineers) but they all left eventually.
In this case, is it OK to state "Corporate Counsel" on my resume? If not, what title would be a better option?
Please focus on my question, rather than, say, why do you want to state a failed startup experience - type of question.
Thank you.
Are you serious?
Serious as unauthorized practice is law!
- North
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
OP a lot of us ITT are barred lawyers and I think we now have an ethical duty to report you to your state bar. Can you PM us your contact info when you have a minute
- MKC
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
North wrote:OP a lot of us ITT are barred lawyers and I think we now have an ethical duty to report you to your state bar. Can you PM us your contact info when you have a minute
Good catch:
Rule 8.3 Reporting Professional Misconduct
(a) A lawyer who knows that another lawyer has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects, shall inform the appropriate professional authority.
Last edited by MKC on Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- njdevils2626
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Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
MarkinKansasCity wrote:North wrote:OP a lot of us ITT are barred lawyers and I think we now have an ethical duty to report you to your state bar. Can you PM us your contact info when you have a minute
Good catch:Rule 8.3 Reporting Professional Misconduct
(a) A lawyer who knows that another lawyer has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects, shall inform the appropriate professional authority.
Looks like we only have to report actual lawyers so OP's good
- elendinel
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