NextGen Bar Exam: Business Associations & Relationships

Research tip: Be a critical and informed researcher when using online sources. Government and educational websites are more reliable than most .com or .org sites.  Government websites are authoritative sources of information on every topic imaginable - employment, suicide rates, agriculture, immigration, crime and more.  They are especially good for statistics.

When you are evaluating a website for research, whether .gov, .edu, .org, or .com, keep a few questions in mind. Who is the author? What are their qualifications? Why was the website created? When was it last updated? How reliable is the information? Does it use footnotes? Consider applying the questions to various kinds of online content, including social media posts, memes, statistics, videos, images, news articles, scholarly articles, etc. 

The SIFT acronym can help your evaluation:

S = Stop

I = Investigate the source

F = Find better coverage

T = Trace claims, quotes, and media back to their original context

For more information about using SIFT to evaluate sources, see the Wayne State University libguide, "SIFT: Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace: What is SIFT?

 Review  and search the South Carolina Secretary of State's office for business information:

• state filing office for business corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships and limited liability companies
• Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 secured transaction filings
• agent for service of process for corporations that do not have authority to transact business in South Carolina, and serves as registered agent as otherwise provided by statute
• examines and files state trademarks
• maintains the state notary public database
•  issues commissions for elected officials and those appointed by the Governor
•  issuing all statewide cable franchises
• serves as the repository for several types of municipal filings
• handles the incorporation of municipalities and special purpose districts
• annexations of land, and the escheatment of real property in South Carolina.
• regulates charitable organizations, professional fundraisers, nonprofit raffles, business opportunities, and employment agencies

Other  federal and SC State agencies provide business information, regulations, and resources:

• South Carolina Business One Stop (SCBOS) is a one-stop information resource for starting, running, expanding and relocating businesses in South Carolina.  SCBOS offers a 9-step guide for starting a business in South Carolina, and provides information on applying for retail and business licenses, registering for unemployment insurance, and other services.
• The mission of the South Carolina Department of Commerce is to help grow new and existing businesses in South Carolina.  The SC Commerce Department provides information and resources on business development, tax incentives and grants, workforce training, industrial site identification, and small business assistance.
• The South Carolina Division of Small and Minority Business Contracting and Certification (SMBCC) is the state agency that certifies businesses as minority-owned, and assists those looking for minority-owned businesses.  SMBCC also connects minority- and women-owned small businesses to State contracting and procurement opportunities.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal agency dedicated to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs.  In addition to offering guidance and resources for starting, managing, and growing small businesses, the SBA offers funding opportunities including loans, disaster assistance, and grants. The SBA’s South Carolina District Office is headquartered in Columbia and has a branch office in Charleston. 
• South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC) is an SBA-funded program that helps start-up and existing businesses by providing free consulting, low-cost seminars, and other resources.  SC SBDC connects private consultants with businesses in all stages of development, and has 20 area centers throughout the state.  For more information, please visit this organization’s website.