Legal solutions developed for MSPs
We advise on your unique legal issues to help reduce risk and raise business value in an increasingly competitive environment.
Proactive legal support for MSP success
Whether you’re a value-added reseller (VAR), managed service provider (MSP), solutions integrator, solutions designer, certified partner, outsource provider, or another specialized term in the IT industry, we understand the services you sell (and resell) and the legal issues you face daily.
Between remote IT infrastructure, sensitive information from third parties, customers’ inappropriate use of software, copyright issues, and more, you’ve got a lot to manage.
Our clients often appreciate that we speak the same language because it allows us to better help you identify and manage potential risk from employees, vendors, customers, criminals, and regulation (in the face of increasing state data privacy laws)—and go even further to help you earn more trust and value through your business contracts and relationships.
Some of the ways we help
SSL has supported traditional break-fix companies, full-stack offerings, help desk support, cybersecurity specialists, data center hosts, and more—so when you work with us, you don’t have to teach us your business first.
We’ll fulfill your company’s immediate legal needs right away, and then, once you’re in a safe place, we can talk about how you can earn more trust and revenue from your clients.
- Intellectual property licensing
- Managed service agreements
- Master service agreements
- Service level agreements (SLAs)
- Referral agreements and outside sales engagements
- Resale agreements
- Cloud computing agreements
- Bring your own device (BYOD) policies and concerns
- Employment and independent contractor agreements
- Employee stock options
- Noncompete agreements
- Non-solicitation agreements
- E-rate compliance
- Regulatory policy reviews (HIPAA/HITECH or PCI)
- Data privacy concerns
- Mergers and acquisitions
With recent tech advancements, open-source software has become more common and changed much. If you rely on open-source software (for the cost, customization, and flexibility) or have an open-source product you manage or customize for clients, we’ll help you with your everyday legal needs and moving safely through the changes to come.
- Licensing and compliance (Apache, MIT, GPL, etc.)
- Open-source contributions
- Proper use and distribution
- Service agreements
- License requirements for customizations
- Ownership of customizations
- Client data and intellectual property protection
- Insurance advice
Your customers trust you, so they ask your advice. For example, our clients’ customers often ask them how frequently they should delete emails. But answering such questions could lead to the unauthorized practice of law.
We’ve developed a process to help your customers answer these questions and will happily work with them to prepare data retention policies, BYOD policies, employee social media policies, incident response policies, or whatever their unique legal needs require.
Through the process, we’ll seek your input on their ability to adhere to such policies and whether a tool might help them manage better. This three-way collaboration reduces risk and enhances transparency, benefiting everyone involved.
- Drafted and revised the master services agreements of several highly respected managed service providers and value-added resellers.
Frequently asked questions
How does having a dedicated MSP attorney help MSPs succeed?
Having an attorney familiar with MSP operations results in more strategic industry-specific planning, from protecting client data and taking proactive measures for emerging legal trends to negotiating favorable terms with vendors and accounting for cybersecurity threats.
What are the consequences of not meeting MSP industry standards?
Noncompliance with industry standards can result in contractual breaches, disputes with clients or vendors, regulatory fines, loss of client trust, reputational damage, and barriers to entering new markets.
How do I know if my master service agreement needs to be updated?
Generally speaking, master service agreements need regular updates to stay current with regulatory changes and internal service or policy changes. But, if your MSA was DIY-ed by someone in the company or copied from another provider or template, it should be redone to meet your company’s specific needs.
Let’s protect your business. Schedule a consultation to get started.
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What to expect:
- Use the form to schedule a consultation.
- You’ll talk with a real attorney about your business and needs and how we can help. Then, you’ll get an initial estimate.
- If you like what you hear, you’ll get an engagement letter and pay the deposit.
- We’ll get started protecting your business.