"Stalirov&Co"

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Dober

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Dober is a Ukrainian startup which created secure messenger. The information exchange in the messenger takes place on a separate server using end-to-end encryption technologies (E2EE). 

The method prevents third parties from accessing data while it’s transferred from one end system or device to another. The user can register in the application anonymously and delete any personal information from the system. User account is not linked to an email or phone number, the user creates an account and the server password.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire "Stalirov&Co" to accomplish?

• Comply with the requirements of App Store / Google Play mobile app publishers
• Comply with the requirements of international data protection law, namely GDPR and CCPA acts

SOLUTION

How did you find "Stalirov&Co"?

• Online Search
• LinkedIn

Why did you select "Stalirov&Co" over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from "Stalirov&Co" were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The Stalirov&Co team created the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy for messenger. Before the work was started, we discussed and agreed terms, which will be in the documents, regarding to:

• Data collection rules. 
• Functionality of the product. 
• Rules for deleting and storing data. 
• Encryption and security policy. 
• The use of analytics and advertising services. 
• User’s rights and obligations. 
• Integrations with external services. 
• Rules for the use of chats and the transfer of information. 
• Places where data is stored and the protection systems used. 
• Intellectual property protection. 
• Owners of the product. 
• Status and functions of the support service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We got customized Terms of use and Privacy Policy completely following the SoW we agreed to. The product and process of personal data collection described in documents in detail. The Stalirov&Co team deeply analyzed all possible risks and created the list of disclaimers. 

Thanks to that we notified users that Dober has no control over the login details or password security and is not responsible for an account breach if the user has created a weak password and security question and answer. One more disclaimer notifies that Dober is not responsible for regaining access to a user account in the event of a loss of the password and security question and answer, because messenger does not store hashes or backups of passwords.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We got operative answers on our requests. The work was completed on time.

What was your primary form of communication with "Stalirov&Co"?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We got high-quality services in compliance with Google Play/App Store requirements, GDPR/CCPA and digital laws.

Are there any areas for improvement or something "Stalirov&Co" could have done differently?

I’ll be great if the process of documents translation is simplified to reduce terms for work delivery.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the COO of Simata SIA

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Simata SIA is a Latvian technology company that develops software for the analysis, modeling and visualization of technical analysis data in financial markets. Our software uses machine learning algorithms and cluster analysis to help users gain a better understanding of the financial markets. We offer a wide range of services, including price quotes, modeling and analysis, and provide information on market trends.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire "Stalirov&Co" to accomplish?

• Before the product launch in the EU and the US markets, it was necessary to develop the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy.

SOLUTION

How did you find "Stalirov&Co"?

Online Search

Why did you select "Stalirov&Co" over others?

High ratings, Close to my geographic location, Other

What was the size of "Stalirov&Co"’s team?

14

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We were interested in conducting a privacy audit for GDPR/CCPA compliance in the EU and the US, meeting the requirements of Paddle, Stripe and Coingate payment systems for KYC/AML compliance and limiting our liability for the consequences of using the information that we will publish on the platform. All this scope of issues can be solved by developing and publishing the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The development of documents lasted a month and a half. As a result, we received the Terms of Use with a detailed description of the platform functionality. IT lawyers clearly defined the status of the platform and explained to users that we do not provide brokerage and dealer activities. We are an analytical web resource that does not provide investment advice. Moreover, we do not guarantee the profitability of transactions based on information from the platform.

IT lawyers helped us compile a list of disclaimers to limit our liability. Here are some of them: We make no warranties, including warranties of informational suitability. The information on the platform is based on publicly available sources, so we do not verify it. We are not responsible for users’ decisions, we only help them get maximum information in one place.

We are not responsible for loss or damage if the user made a transaction based on information from the platform, but it turned out to be unprofitable. We do not give any guarantees for the availability of the platform and we admit that there may be technical problems on the web resource. Monetization of the platform occurs through the payment of subscriptions for a month or a year.

The document that we received describes in detail each type of subscription, how payment is made and how to return the paid money. Lawyers advised to write that the content on the platform is a "digital good" and payment for it is non-refundable in accordance with EU law. This does not mean that a return is completely impossible.

If the user believes that the funds were debited erroneously, he must contact us within 48 hours from the moment the funds were withdrawn and his application will be considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Terms of Use, lawyers from Stalirov & Co wrote the Privacy Policy for us. It allows us to securely collect and process data from European users, including the use of data for marketing purposes.

We have received a document where all the conditions are defined, as required by the GDPR, concerning: ways of collecting personal data types of personal data that are collected by the platform age restrictions purposes of data processing the possibility of mailing and conducting advertising campaigns data retention periods about the Data protection officer in our company international data transfer Cookies user rights additional provisions for California residents under the CCPA advertising policy right to change the policy and users support.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our communication and management were effective. Before starting work on the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy, lawyers analyzed in detail the business model and technical issues of the platform functioning. The development of documents lasted a month and a half, as we agreed. All our needs were satisfied.

What was your primary form of communication with "Stalirov&Co"?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We figured out that lawyers have deep expertise in working with the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policies. From the beginning of the work process we were asked the right questions and the interaction process was prompt and comfortable.

Are there any areas for improvement or something "Stalirov&Co" could have done differently?

We got the result we expected. The work was done with high quality.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are Pacwyn mobile games developers. The latest version of Pacwyn 23 Draft & Pack Opener has 50K+ downloads on Google Play, and Pacwyn 22 Draft & Pack Opener has 100K+ downloads with a rating of 4.3⭐

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire "Stalirov&Co"?

After publishing the mobile application, we faced the problem of withdrawing funds from Google Play and the App Store and fulfilling the financial monitoring requirements. To resolve this issue we needed lawyers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We found the Stalirov&Co team through Google search and asked for consulting on taxes and business registration. Valery, CEO of the company, consulted us, and suggested how to formalize the mobile games monetization and do it legally correctly. After that, we decided to open a sole proprietorship and a Limited liability company. Expertise at GameDev was the criterion for choosing the Stalirov&Co law firm.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

The Stalirov&Co team registered the sole proprietorship and the company for us to open bank accounts and receive income from monetization of mobile applications. After that, we asked IT lawyers to draw up the Terms of Use for one of the Pacwyn games. Now the Stalirov&Co team provides us with accounting support: submits VAT returns, calculates income tax and advises on dividend withdrawal.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Valeriy, CEO of the company, worked with us; Inna accompanied the opening of the company; Anton developed documents for the mobile game, and now Anton helps with tax issues.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

The first step was the registration of sole proprietorship and LLC. The lawyers developed and submitted all the necessary documents for registration and put them on the tax register. After that, we got official bank accounts registered with the tax office and were able to withdraw income from publishers. The next step is to develop the Terms of Use for Pacwyn, a mobile game where players create football player card collections.

We implemented a wide and diverse game functionality, which includes game modes Daily Draft, SBC, Mini games, Online: Draft league, Trading, etc. The game uses 2 currencies: Coins - a virtual currency that is produced in the game, and Tokens - a currency that can be bought with real money in the in-game store using Apple Pay. It was necessary to describe all these features in the Terms of Use and protect the game from dishonest behavior of players.

We encountered the situation where a player developed automated bots and created a collection of football players in 2 months bypassing payments for development in the game. The user did not agree with the ban and threatened to sue. To avoid the recurrence of similar situations, the Terms of Use have to prohibit cheating. We got the results explained below:

1. IT lawyers described in-game processes and game modes, goals and objectives.
2. They described the types of monetization, and set the rules and possibilities to use advertising services.
3. They created the rules for making purchases in the in-game store and made reservations about changing the policy and pricing of services.
4. IT lawyers developed the rules for the protection of the game intellectual property, so the user is prohibited from hacking, modifying, disassembling, using the code and other intellectual property objects.
5. They set the rights to use open source (under an open license) design solutions in cards and explained the procedure for returning and removing content at the request of the right owner in accordance with international conventions on IP-rights.
6. They described the rules for registration and creating a profile in the game.
7. IT lawyers set the rules of support service operation and the procedure for considering complaints.
8. They fulfilled Google Play/App Store requirements for in-game purchases and interaction with minors.
9. They draw up a list of reasons for blocking a player's account, including for cheating.
10. IT lawyers fixed the right to update the working functionality of the game.
11. They collected disclaimers in case of technical and force majeure situations during game operation.
12. The Stalirov&Co team set the rules for solving disputes through the support service. We made another request regarding the restriction for users from Russia. IT lawyers suggested adding a disclaimer about the ban on downloading the game by such users due to international FATF sanctions. In this way, we were able to protect ourselves from liability.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was effective, we always got operative feedback on all requests.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The Stalirov&Co team is always interested in solving our problems and they are willing to analyze our requests, providing maximum feedback.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The pricing policy for the contract development service can be more flexible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are the product-based company from Lviv that creates mobile apps for AppStore and GooglePlay. ​ We have created 2 high-quality mobile applications:

1. Miogym: Speech therapy
2. Erudite: Trivia Quiz Mind Game Our mobile applications have been downloaded over 3 000 000 times!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ENOSTA, and what were your goals?

In 2021, we decided to open a company in Europe to expand the market and scale the business in the UK, USA and EU countries. At that time, we did not know which country to choose for opening a company. It was necessary to analyze the profitability of the taxation system and the simplicity of the company registration and management, in particular, the possibility of remote management.

In order to make the right choice, we found lawyers. We had a positive experience of communicating with Stalirov&Co lawyers, so we have been cooperating for the second year. In addition to company registration, Stalirov&Co IT lawyers developed the Terms of Use for our application, wrote contracts for the team and now continue advising on tax issues.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found the Stalirov&Co team through Google search and asked for consultation on starting a company. Valery Stalirov, CEO of the legal company, during consultation offered 2 solutions: Cyprus and Estonia, explained in detail the procedure for opening a company in each country, and calculated taxes. As a result, we chose Cyprus.

During the consultation, it became clear that Valery's team will be able to provide comprehensive support, in particular, to develop statutory documents, carry out registration, help with opening a bank account and with tax reporting. We understood that other legal issues could potentially arise, so the complex expertise of lawyers became a factor for turning to them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We registered a company in Cyprus and now receive help with reporting and other tax issues. IT lawyers drafted the Terms of Use for our Trivia Quiz Mind Game app and wrote contracts for the company team.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There are team members worked with us: Valery Stalirov, CEO of the legal company and General legal counsel; Slatirov&Co partners in Cyprus; Inna Palko, who accompanied the opening of the company in Cyprus; Natalia Prudka helps with tax issues; Julia Mala, who drew up contracts; Anton Bondarenko, who developed the Terms of Use for the application.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

IT lawyers helped to choose a country for opening a legal entity in the EU with low taxation, preferential conditions for GameDev and developed mechanisms for protecting IP-rights for software products. Cyprus became such a country. From Stalirov&Co lawyers we received full support for the development of corporate documentation, submission of documents, registration in tax bodies, opening a bank account, payment of state fees.

The next step was to develop the legal documentation for the game to publish it on the App Store. It was important for us to protect ourselves from unscrupulous users who may violate the rules of the game and take actions aimed at discrediting our business reputation as a developer. In the Terms of Use lawyers have added clauses that protect against posting false reviews, harming the game process using manipulative and automated software solutions, stealing content, ideas, design solutions, creating similar products, hacking and blocking.

To perform this task, IT lawyer Anton Bondarenko has developed the Terms of Use, where he:

1. Described in-game processes and game modes.
2. Described the types of game monetization, the rules and possibilities of using external advertising services.
3. Created the rules for making purchases in the in-game store and made a warning about changing the policy and pricing of services.
4. Developed rules for the protection of intellectual property of the game: the user is prohibited from hacking, modifying, disassembling, and using intellectual property for commercial purposes.
5. Demarcated the rights to use open source (under an open license). The IT lawyer created a procedure for returning and removing content at the request of the right holder in accordance with international conventions on IP-rights.
6. Described the rules of registration and creating a profile in the game.
7. Develop the rules and procedures for the operation of the support service, the procedure for considering complaints and appeals.
8. Fulfilled the requirements of Google Play / App Store for in-game purchases, interaction with minors.
9. Compiled the list of reasons and rules for blocking a player's account.
10. Fixed the rights to update the working functionality of the game.
11. Drew up disclaimers to limit liability for technical and force majeure situations during the operation of the game.
12. Developed rules for resolving disputes through the support service.
13. Installed the possibility of authorization in the application.
14. Developed the rules for collecting, processing and storing user data. Another service provided to us by Stalirov&Co is the development of a contract with the team.

After successful publishing of mobile applications, we started expanding the team and recruiting IT specialists. The contract was supposed to be suitable for the Ukrainian individual entrepreneur to pass bank compliance, meet the requirements of Cypriot financial monitoring and protect confidential information, and become the basis for the company to obtain intellectual property rights for the development and design of the game.

We received a contract with a detailed description of:

1. The subject of the contract under the Standard Industrial Classification code.
2. Rules for calculation and acceptance of services according to the Fixed price model.
3. The list of functional responsibilities of the parties regarding the establishment of technical specifications, management and control over the performance of tasks.
4. Terms of contract conclusion and extension.
5. Provisions that protect IT company’s confidential information.
6. Rules and sanctions for early termination of the contract.
7. Pretrial collection of damages.
8. Rules of electronic document circulation.
9. Rules for transfer of intellectual property.

We continue cooperation on the issues of submitting financial and accounting reports, and communication with controlling bodies.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We receive support in 3 areas: legal, accounting and banking.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We can always count on a prompt response with a detailed analysis of our situation. IT lawyers are proactive, and it is felt that they are interested in the development of their clients' business. They always identify problematic issues and offer options for solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We recommend creating an electronic automated tax calculation system for integration between accounting and the client.

BACKGROUND

For what projects/services did your company hire "Stalirov&Co"?

I’m Co-founder and COO "ProfITsoft" — a leading software development company that combines engineering expertise based on Java and Web technologies and an exclusive level of competencies and corporate culture. We’ve been providing quality software development and support services for more than 20 years. The leading European and USA companies trust us with their projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire "Stalirov&Co"?

Before the war in Ukraine started, our main office had been in Kharkiv. That time we thought about opening a company in Poland but put it off. After the war began, we were forced to organize some specialists' relocation to the EU. Because of that, we decided to intensify the implementation of the task of opening a representative office in Poland.

Even though we have our own legal support, we decided to turn to professionals with experience opening IT companies in Poland. Those who can help quickly open a company will be consulted on accounting issues and will be helped to understand the aspects of doing business in a new country.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We’ve known Stalirov&Co for a long time from partners. Still, we decided to come to them officially through LinkedIn and immediately got on a call with the company's CEO, Valery Stalirov, to discuss our goals and outline an action plan. On the first call, Valery described the advantages and disadvantages of doing business in Poland, Estonia, Poland, Cyprus and the UK.

When we talked, the Stalirov&Co team already had experience opening an IT business in Poland. The decisive factor was the comprehensive offer. Lawyers undertook not only the registration of the company but also the organization of a legal address, consulting on opening a bank account. Before the start, Valery sent an offer, and we signed an NDA and agreement to provide legal services. We liked that the agreement was accompanied by an SOW describing specific tasks and steps to achieve them. We saw the price and deadlines for particular areas.

For example, opening a Polish company takes 3 to 6 weeks.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

We discussed that within 3-6 weeks, lawyers: prepare documents for company registration; choose a legal address; develop the company’s charter; receive registration confirmation from the registry; register the company with the tax authorities; help us open a bank account. Later, we received a request for consulting on taxes and accounting services.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two lawyers worked with us: Valery Stalirov - CEO and General legal counsel; Irina Golovyatskaya - Polish-speaking Middle legal counsel. Moreover, Slatirov&Co partners from Warsaw were helping us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

There is a description of the IT lawyers' work stages. They received PESEL - an analogue of the Ukrainian identification number. They organized the appearance of partners, helped to get ePuap and confirmed the keys at the consulate in Lviv. They registered in the s24 system and prepared documents for company registration. They picked up addresses for correspondence.

They distributed shares in the company according to the charter and indicated the authority to form and send payments in online banking. They received confirmation of registration in KRS. They registered the company with the tax authorities of Poland (NIP). After finishing the work, we’ve got: Limited Liability Company Agreement (UMOWA SPÓŁKI Z OGRANICZONĄ ODPOWIEDZIALNOŚCIĄ) Extract from the state register (KRAJOWY REJESTR SĄDOWY of enterprises (KRS) Taxpayer Number (NIP) Statistical number (REGON) Social Security and Pension Fund numbers (ZUS) IT lawyers opened a company online - through the S24 system using the ePuap profile.

In addition to registering a company, they provided tax consulting on income tax and dividends. Lawyers advised on a bank account opening with remote access and a card for several currencies. They took care of translating the documents into Polish and paying fees and notary costs when registering PESEL. We had questions about the Polish state portals usage, the documents storage and the employees' registration. We received detailed answers to these and other questions through written consultations. Moreover, IT lawyers recommended which accounting service providers we could turn to.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

IT lawyers always promptly responded to requests and explained in simple terms how registration takes place and what is needed for this. But we were faced with complex banking compliance. The process dragged on for up to 3 months. Customer service in Polish banks leaves much to be desired. IT lawyers have been selecting alternative banks and helping to communicate with them all this time.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Stalirov&Co works only with IT businesses and demonstrated their competence from the first call. We spoke the same language. For all tasks and questions, we received prompt and high-quality feedback. The company has well-established communication and customer service at a high level.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The company needs to introduce an in-house specialist in Polish accounting because external partners don't provide full support.

BACKGROUND

Question

I'm CEO/founder of a Product Development Company. We're a startup product development team that will make sure your idea is the next unicorn. We help you to build a simply great SaaS product. Marketplace Development Service. Web Development Service. Mobile Application Development Services. Corporate Website Design Services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Question

We received a request for a legal audit of the current contractual base with the company team. We want to check contracts with the team for their compliance with international legislation on the protection of confidential information, intellectual property in IT. It was also significant for us to comply with the requirements of state labor legislation, tax, and financial monitoring.

SOLUTION

Question

We met Stalirov & Co on Linkedin. IT-lawyer Yulia, presented the site and told about the team's experience in servicing outsourcing IT companies in Ukraine, Russia, USA, EU, and showed recommendations.

Question

As a result, we arranged a conference call with CEO Valeryto discuss urgent tasks in the company's contractual structuring. During the conversation, we analyzed the details and nuances of the team composition, functional duties, payments and acceptance of work, and the responsibility of the parties under the contract.

Question

Valery proposed the audit and development of a custom complex of software development contracts (SDA / NDA / NCA / NSA) with adaptation for Front-end developer, UX Designer, QA Engineer, Business Developer, Head of Project Management, Product Manager, DevOps Engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Question

The "Stalirov&Co" team successfully completed several tasks for the contractual structuring of our company.:

1. For the entire team. Register variations of service items according to the requirements of financial monitoring.
2. We created rules for the electronic setting of tasks in the Jira task manager to document tasks for the team and control the results.
3. Prescribed communication tools using which confidential information is transferred: mail, instant messengers.
4. Described the sources of formation of intellectual property in repositories, data in confluence, technical documentation in cloud storage.
5. Collected a list of confidential information according to the requirements in Ukraine, defined ways and channels of transmission, methods of protection, and collection of penalties for disclosing commercial secrets. Restrictions on the placement of personal portfolios.
6. Created procedures for the transfer of intellectual property rights since the creation of objects in IT.
7. Develop rules for protection against unfair competition by the rules of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine.
8. Prescribed a procedure for prior notification and early termination of the contract.
9. Created a section of responsibility of the parties with a mechanism for sanctions for late development deadlines, failure to comply with the requirements of the TOR, violation of the terms of storage of CI, poaching or transfer to competing companies, failure to comply with the requirements of the PM, Software, top managers and company representatives.
10. We agreed to process data for profiling the team at LinkedIn, Clutch, Upwork by the GDPR requirements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the creator of the Songbook.app platform, where worship leaders from all over the world find resources to help prepare and conduct music ministry. The platform hosts Christian songs with multi-tracks, notes, and chords. The platform licenses and distributes musical works, and copyright owners receive copyright income for this. Platform users can listen to, download content, purchase a copyright license, and then publicly perform songs, as well as broadcast them on the Internet.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire "Stalirov&Co", and what were your goals?

We are creating a platform for the distribution of Christian music content. We were interested in the possibility of the legalization of activities in Ukraine. To do this, we needed to open a legal entity, figure out taxation, connect payment systems and create rules for interaction with users and music authors. Our goal is to regulate intellectual property on the platform.

We wanted to develop a licensing agreement between Songbook.app and music authors to obtain the right to monetize. They provide the rights to post and promote music content using the platform and receive a percentage of royalties from monetization.

Therefore, Songbook.app gets license permission from the copyright holders to publish and promote music content. We also wanted to create rules for interacting with platform users to provide access to music content and gain an opportunity for authors to publish and distribute music content.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We found Stalirov & Co in the Google search engine. Firstly we got acquainted with the publications on the website about the protection of IT products and expertise in the copyright field, payment systems, and taxation. The main point was to find a company specializing in IT. CEO Valery Stalyrov offered solutions, and we decided on the legal aspects of Songbook.app.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

Songbook platform acquires commercial rights from copyright holders (authors, performers, and publishers) under a license agreement for minus / plus phonogram, playback, sheet music and chords, lyrics. According to the license agreement, Songbook can carry out one-time sales, lease, subscribe (subscription to listen, subscription to use rights, subscription to a presentation program, trial subscription) to music content.

Each form of music content monetization has its characteristics in terms of target audience and the equivalent of paid royalties. We were interested in the possibility of developing a license agreement and terms of use of the platform (Terms of USE) with the copyright holders. Under documents Songbook platform will receive the right to use, promote and monetize musical content following international requirements and standards provided for in the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, the Paris Act, the World the convention on copyright, as well as the laws of Ukraine on the protection of copyright. The tasks that we faced: Collect and categorize the types of services Songbook provides to copyright holders.

Choose a taxation system and the type of legal entity to carry out activities. Settle the liability of the copyright holder for the right of third parties to co-authors of musical content. Describe the mechanism for pricing and calculating royalties depending on the type of monetization. Develop the rules and powers of the Songbook to use the intellectual property of the copyright holder. Distribute the costs of transferring funds to the copyright holder. Provide the Songbook with the possibility of assigning rights to affiliates under the contract.

Collect and list the objects included in the music content required by the Songbook. Create a definition of the Songbook platform and software products on subdomains. Develop rules for accepting and refunding payments for Liqpay and Fondy requirements. We will create Songbook provisions on legal protection in case of violation of the license by third parties or copyright holders. We will enable the possibility of embedding (embed-code) on third-party domains. Provide for the possibility of the copyright holder to exclusively and non-exclusively post musical content.

The solution:

1. developing an exclusive and non-exclusive license agreement and fixing the ability to customize the timing, parties, and royalty payment mechanisms.
2. developing a multipurpose TOS according to the structure attached below by the license agreements created by us.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The project manager, who understood the legal needs of the platform and was responsible for setting and implementing tasks, was engaged. There was the business analyst, helping us distinguish between the statuses of an individual and a legal entity on the platform. And there was the IT lawyer, specializing in the development of Terms of USE, and an IT copyright specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

As a result of working with Stalirov & Co, we legalized Songbook.app in Ukraine: opened an LLC in Kyiv; picked up KVED; rented a legal address; developed a charter; registered with the tax authorities and chose the taxation system; opened a bank account. We have created the Terms of USE and License Agreements for Songbook.app in which: received the rights from copyright holders to use, publish and monetize music content.

We connect payment systems in Ukraine to monetize the platform; passed bank compliance and opened a current account in Ukraine; substantiated in the tax office the possibility of obtaining income for LLC; defended the copyright platform and distributed the responsibilities of using and protecting the copyright holder's music content.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The Stalirov & Co team met the deadlines for consultations and documents and provided sufficient time to review and discuss the details. We were able to jointly discover the nuances and work out their implementation after the presentation of the work. All communication took place in the corporate messenger Slack. Collaboration is carried out on documents in Google Docs, which lets us quickly resolve emerging issues.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their energy and sincere desire to develop legal solutions to the coverage of user and business risks were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Stalirov & Co has good rules for simplifying legal formulations when drafting documents. They need to continue writing more readily and accessible text for end-users and improve their skills.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an e-learning company. It’s a platform where users can learn and study languages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with “Stalirov&Co”?

I was looking for someone to create our terms of service for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

"Stalirov&Co" helped me create the terms of service and FAQ for our website. Additionally, they helped me write my contract with the IT company that I hired to build my website. I’m now reviewing their work, which is mainly done and almost ready to go live.  

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with one person, but there were three teammates in our Skype group.

How did you come to work with “Stalirov&Co”?

One of our board members found them and suggested that we work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from January–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

"Stalirov&Co" knew exactly what to do — they were fast and demonstrated effective teamwork. 

How did “Stalirov&Co” perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was good, and they met deadlines. We communicated through Skype and email and collaborated using Google Docs. They were fluent in English, so we had zero problems.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their prices were really competitive. Their knowledge level was high, too. I plan on working with them again in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would’ve been nice if their site had an English version. However, it wasn’t a problem because the team was able to communicate in English.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with what you want, and "Stalirov&Co" will help you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm CEO in ZH-index. We provide IT-solutions and marketing service for e-commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire "Stalirov&Co", and what were your goals?

We wanted to provide our services in the international market and contacted to the company of IT-lawyers Stalirov&Co for legal support and representation of the company's interests in the US and EU markets.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

It became decisive for my choice that the firm is accelerated specifically in servicing IT companies, and not all sorts of legal services. Public portfolio and reviews with many familiar names and companies.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

The Stalirov&Co team as an internal legal service in our company.

1) Develops, reviews and approves outgoing and incoming contracts for IT services MSA / SLA for the requirements of international currency and tax control.  

Helps to detect business risks in outsourcing contracts and protects of the our  interests from:

• unprofitable fines and hidden payments of the Customer;
• unreasonable imposition of liability for compensation for damages for the actions of third parties persons on projects;
• refusal to make payments for services performed;
• prescribes methods for setting up an electronic task and rules for managing communication with the Customer's team.

2) Conducts audit and approval of preliminary NDA / NCA / NSA agreements with foreign clients analyzing the terms of non-disclosure of confidential information and non-competition. They defend the interests of the company in placing cases in the portfolio and the possibility of obtaining fair compensation in the event of poaching the developer.

3) Provides international tax consulting: teams of IT lawyers track the possibility of withholding Tax in contracts and fill out forms following the example of W8BENE in the USA to avoid double taxation.

4) Registers companies in the EU, taking into account the passage of GDPR compliance when processing personal data for IT projects. Develops policies in the field of personal data protection and fill out GDPR questionnaires.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The Project Manager always works with us. At different stages, we worked with: a lawyer for the development of contracts, a lawyer for a tax specialist, a lawyer for legal business structuring and a lawyer for the protection of personal data

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Since 2017, accompanied by Stalirov&Co lawyers, we have concluded 38 successful and long-term contracts for us. Lawyers took part in meets in which they defended the interests of the company in the field of financing contracts, setting and accepting tasks, working hours, transferring intellectual property, protecting confidential information, which led to building relationships with the client on the principle of "Win-win"

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

All communication takes place in messengers and emails. On strategic issues related to structuring and scaling a business, establishing partnerships, we hold meetings once a month. Reports on operational tasks are sent weekly. These letters contain all the details about the status of the task, the elapsed time and whether the task requires our intervention or feedback.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are honest in conveying information about possible risks from activities or inaction in the current situations. They always provide several options for solutions and try to explain legal nuances as simply as possible.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Tasks are completed on time and efficiently, but we would like to increase the initial volume of tasks that are taken into work for a certain period of time. We would like to advise you to expand the staff to increase the volume of tasks to be carried out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an outsourcing Gamedev studio united by more than 5 years of experience and passion for games of all genres. We are focusing on level design. Our experience covers all genres of casual games and hyper causal games.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Viha Digital Commerce?

There are two founder-developers in our company. We decided to open our own company and work in the EU and US markets. For the plan implementation, it was necessary to open a sales office in Europe and international accounts with Transferwise/Bilderlings. But before that, we needed legal consultants who would help us choose a country, deal with the organizational aspects of registering a company, accounting services and taxes.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found Stalirov&Co through a Google search engine and asked for a consultation. First of all, we had to choose a suitable country. We were advised by Valery (CEO of the company.) He proposed two solutions: Cyprus and Estonia. For each option, we received a detailed written summary with the calculation of taxes and a description of the steps for registering a company. As a result, we settled on Estonia and decided that Valery's team would open the company and accounts.

We liked that Stalirov&Co has experience in starting an IT business in many EU countries, including Estonia. Plus, they offered comprehensive support, which included registering a company, opening an account with Wise, and accounting support. We have signed a contract for legal services and an NDA. The Stalirov&Co team attached the statement of work to the contract, describing the scope of work and deadlines.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Before the start, we agreed with Valery on 3 stages:

• Company opening.
• Connection of payment systems.
• Company accounting services.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were two lawyers:

• Valery  - CEO and General legal counsel
• Irina - Middle legal counsel

Moreover, Slatirov&Co partners from Estonia were helping us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We chose Estonia because a Ukrainian can be a director in this country. In addition, there is an attractive tax policy. The tax on retained earnings is 0%, and on the distribution of profits - 25% tax on dividends. When paying salaries to non-residents, tax is not paid in Estonia. Value Added Tax (VAT) - 20%, which arises when working within the country, when selling to European individuals and when selling to European companies that do not have an MAE number.

Estonia is a digital country with a simple registration algorithm and interaction with government authorities. There is no corporate tax in Estonia. But Valery warned us that due to the latest trends in deoffshorization, as well as the instability of the banking system, opening accounts for non-residents in local banks is complicated without reference to the country.

It means that it is more difficult to open an account when there are no real clients in Estonia and no real office and employees. Another advantage in Estonia - the establishment of a company gives the right to obtain a work visa or residence permit for its founder and director. It is a nice bonus. IT lawyers opened a company online through e-residency and wrote a charter for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have always received prompt responses to questions. They kept us constantly informed about the tasks' implementation, explaining how registration takes place and what is needed for this.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We planned to open a company in Cyprus, but Valery offered us a more profitable option - Estonia. So the lawyers showed a competent and customized approach. They analyzed our goals and conditions and found the best solution. We could delegate all issues related to starting a business in a new country.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

As we were warned, payment system compliance was complicated and lengthy. I would like to speed it up