Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) play a pivotal role in driving corporate growth, enabling strategic restructuring, and unlocking ownership value…
more
/ Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Mergers & Acquisitions, Taxation
When you’re launching a startup, it’s easy to blur the lines between owners, decision-makers and doers—especially when you’re all three. But as soon as you raise money, add a co-founder, or bring on outside help, things get…
more
/ Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions, Securities Law
Startups continue to have an increasingly international presence (or, at the very least, an international plan), and investors continue to scour the globe for investment opportunities…
more
/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, International Law & Trade, Securities Law, Taxation
SAFEs can be a powerful fundraising tool—but they also carry real risks to existing equity holders. For founders, the danger lies not in the document itself, but in misunderstanding its terms and consequences…
more
/ Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, Securities Law
Starting a company with someone is like entering into a high-stakes relationship that blends money, vision and emotions. Like any relationship, it requires trust, communication and clear boundaries to thrive, and one of the…
more
/ Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Taxation
When startup founders hear that Mark Zuckerberg received “founder’s stock” with 10-to-1 voting rights, the natural reaction is: Should I get that too? The impulse is understandable. As a founder, you may worry—sometimes…
more
/ Business Organizations, Securities Law
For many early-stage startups, choosing between a convertible note and a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is one of the first critical legal and strategic financing decisions. While both instruments allow companies to…
more
/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, Securities Law
In a move to bolster investment in small business, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“OBBBA”), signed into law on July 4, 2025 (the “Applicable Date”), introduced significant changes to the Qualified Small Business Stock…
more
/ Business Organizations, Securities Law, Taxation
Many early-stage companies give employees, consultants, advisors, board members and other service providers (referred to as “service providers”) an opportunity to own a stake in the company through the grant of compensatory…
more
/ Business Organizations, Labor & Employment Law, Taxation
For startup founders, few concepts are as important—or as commonly misunderstood—as dilution. It often first arises during a financing round, when investors receive equity (i.e., shares) in exchange for capital. Dilution is not…
more
/ Business Organizations, Finance & Banking, Securities Law
Unclear intellectual property (IP) ownership can pose significant challenges for startups, especially during a sale process (i.e., M&A) or investment rounds. Investors and buyers meticulously examine the chain of title for IP…
more
/ Government Contracting, Intellectual Property, Mergers & Acquisitions
Increasingly, founders desire liquidity with respect to a portion of their equity stake before the company goes public or completes a complete exit event (like an M&A sale). Liquidity is desired for many reasons, including (but…
more
/ Finance & Banking, Securities Law, Taxation
A key step in forming a company is issuing equity to the Founder(s). This equity is commonly referred to as “Founder’s Stock.” When issuing Founder’s Stock, it is important to consider whether a vesting schedule should apply…
more
/ Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Taxation
When an employee unexpectedly dies, companies often want to act quickly so as to minimize disruption to the deceased employee’s family. While that is an important goal, companies need to ensure that they follow federal and state…
more
/ Insurance, Labor & Employment Law, Wills, Trusts, & Estate Planning
Founders and their startups are typically at the forefront of ever-evolving fields, from space exploration and satellites to life-saving medical devices and medicines. Safeguarding intellectual property is critical for startup…
more
/ Business Organizations, Intellectual Property, Science, Computers, & Technology
