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OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:00 am
by Anonymous User
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.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:08 am
by Vincent Adultman
lol I wouldn't represent that you did legal work prior to being licensed.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 7:00 am
by blueapple
Martin Brody wrote:lol I wouldn't represent that you did legal work prior to being licensed.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:25 am
by North
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.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:36 am
by malibustacy
Why do you want to state a failed startup experience?
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:47 am
by jchiles
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.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:51 am
by mjb447
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.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:53 am
by Nebby
No. It's not okay
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:20 am
by pancakes3
is OP a law student or someone who's failed the bar (or just never took it)?
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:23 am
by misterjames
from what you've written here it sounds like you've been practicing law without a license. any response to that?
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:33 am
by SFSpartan
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
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:53 pm
by Magic Hat
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.
n/a
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:12 pm
by negativefeedback
n/a
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:19 pm
by MKC
Should probably just list "Practiced Law without a License" in the experience description for your startup.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:32 pm
by pancakes3
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
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:47 pm
by MKC
Also, "Soon to be disqualified from sitting for the bar due to C&F violations" would be fine to list as a bullet point.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:48 pm
by cron1834
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?
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:49 pm
by Nebby
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!
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:20 pm
by North
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
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:40 pm
by MKC
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.
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:50 pm
by njdevils2626
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
Re: OK to state "Corporate Counsel" of this startup on my resume?
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:54 am
by elendinel
