We help entrepreneurs start a new business. This might include getting the startup set up as a legal entity and drafting the documents the company may use with its customers and employees.

We help entrepreneurs through the early legal processes involved in creating a new business. Some of these items might include getting the startup set up as a legal entity with the State, assisting with securing funding through negotiating, creating, and modifying investment contracts, and drafting the initial set of documents the company may use with its customers and employees.

We also assist startups with protecting their intellectual property, ensuring compliance with local and federal laws, and drafting employment contracts.

Some of the things we do for small business owners include:

BUSINESS FORMATION. The earliest role that we play occurs when we assist clients with the business formation. This means that we can help you to establish your business as a legally recognized company with the state and federal government. We will consult with our clients to figure out what business entity is right for them, and then prepare the documentation to file with the government. This can include:

* C Corporations

* Limited Liability Companies (LLC)

* S Corporations

DRAFTING INITIAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS. Drafting legal documents is one of our most important jobs. Since legal compliance is essential to legitimate companies, startups hire us to draft their foundational legal agreements that comply with the regulations of their industries.

Investment contracts are a great example of document drafting that is crucial to the success of a startup. We negotiate and draw up fundraising documents for startups to provide to potential investors that outline the terms of the deal. Popular fundraising documents can include SAFE Notes and convertible notes.

Working with an experienced lawyer is helpful because many startup founders are hesitant to advocate for themselves with investors since they are often eager to receive capital to fund their ideas. Investors are also savvy and may take advantages of a naive founder to get a good deal with their investment.

Some legal documents we routinely draft for our clients include:

* Shareholders agreement

* LLC Operating Agreement

* Employment contract

* Privacy Policies

* Noncompete Agreements

* Service Contracts

CONTRACT REVIEW. Building positive working relationships is one of the biggest goals of any new startup. As a budding company, fostering positive interactions with others in the industry is a great way to foster growth and success starting in the early days of a company’s development.

Startups are responsible for drafting many of the legal agreements that go into keeping them in business, but external contracts are also required to sign at times. For example, if you need to license a certain piece of technology for your product to run successfully, you may be asked to sign a software license. We know how to read these contracts and which terms are mutually beneficial for their clients and which aren’t.

Having an experienced lawyer on your side for contract review means that you won’t be taken advantage of or end up in a situation you didn’t know you agreed to. Having a pair of expert eyes to review agreements is your best line of defense against being deceived.

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS. New companies sometimes have almost no money to offer their employees while they are in their infancy. To compensate for this, many startups offer employee stock options to members who are with the company in its early stages. We help company leadership decide how employee stock options work, how they are awarded, and what their vesting schedule might be. Stock options are complicated and making sure you work with a lawyer who has a deep understanding of how they work and what par is for the industry is important.

COMMERCIAL LEASE GUIDANCE. Startups need commercial space to grow their businesses. Commercial leases are much more complex than their residential counterparts and if businesses aren’t careful, they could get stuck in an agreement they’re not happy with. We are well-versed in the laws surrounding commercial leases and they are familiar with common terms and processes. We offer a helping hand to these leases to ensure clients get the best deal possible.

The new year is approaching and if you're thinking about starting up a new business in 2023, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to set up an appointment to see how we can help.