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1 Answer
| Asked
in
Immigration Law, Business Formation, Intellectual Property and Business Law
for
Virginia
on
Q: Can F-1 student co-found a startup without CPT/OPT?
I am an F-1 Ph.D. student in Virginia, planning to co-found a startup with my advisor based on university-licensed research, which has a provisional patent filed through the university's tech transfer office. I've asked the tech transfer office how other international students have... View More 
Remzi Guvenc Kulen
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answered on Nov 10, 2026
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Nov 10, 2026
1- You can hold equity. Owning stock is not employment. What you cannot do is provide services, and for F-1 purposes a service counts even unpaid and even when the company is yours. That is the standard your DSO is applying and it is correct.
Pitching is a service, so leave it to your... View More
Q: Can F-1 student founders use pre-completion OPT for a startup?
I'm an F-1 Ph.D. student in my first year in Virginia, planning to co-found a startup with my advisor. Since my program does not offer CPT, my only option to work on the startup before graduating is part-time pre-completion OPT, which I understand is deducted at half rate from my total 12... View More
Remzi Guvenc Kulen
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answered on Nov 10, 2026
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Nov 10, 2026
Your understanding of the mechanics is right. Part time pre-completion OPT is deducted at half rate, so two semesters costs you about six months of your post-completion time.
I would not spend it in your first year. Post-completion OPT is the only window where you can actually work for your... View More
Q: What legal actions can I pursue for medical malpractice due to missed fractures and prolonged pain?
I am an elderly patient residing in California, dealing with multiple forms of arthritis. I endured excruciating pain in both feet, initially diagnosed as neuropathy by my RA specialist and GP. They recommended only acetaminophen and arch supports, which I refused due to my belief the pain was in... View More
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Emery Brett Ledger
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answered on Nov 10, 2026
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answered on Nov 10, 2026
A year of being told it was neuropathy, when X-rays later showed multiple fractures and a bone that never healed, is a real basis for a malpractice review in California.
A misdiagnosis claim here needs a qualified medical expert to say two things: that a reasonably careful rheumatologist or... View More
2 Answers
| Asked
in
Car Accidents, Consumer Law, Insurance Defense and Personal Injury
for
California
on
Q: Can I get compensation for a car accident while driving without a license?
I was driving my son's car without a license in California when another driver, in a separate lane, abruptly changed lanes as the light turned green, hitting the car I was driving. The collision caused damage to my son's car, including a broken support for the headlight, a bent hood, and... View More
William John Light
answered on Nov 11, 2026
answered on Nov 11, 2026
You don't own the car, so you have no right to claim compensation for damage to the car. That claim belongs to your son. He can either tender the claim to his own property damage insurer, or sue the other driver in Small Claims for the property damage. Going with his own insurer is the... View More
Q: Is my Class 25 trademark likely to face refusal due to likelihood of confusion with existing marks?
I am considering filing a federal trademark application in Class 25 for streetwear apparel (graphic t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, cut-and-sew tops and bottoms, jackets, and hats), using a coined, single-word name. However, I discovered a live trademark registration in Class 5 for dietary and... View More
Tony Naquan Woolard
answered on Nov 10, 2026
answered on Nov 10, 2026
The short answer: a refusal is possible, but it is not automatic. The USPTO's examining manual says there is no "per se" rule that certain goods are always related (TMEP 1207.01(a)(iv)). The outcome will turn mainly on how close the two names are and whether supplements and apparel... View More
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