Startups
A solid legal foundation is a key element to any startup. We work closely with you and your company to create appropriate solutions in each stage of your company’s growth, ranging from initial incorporation documents and founder agreements to venture capital and other financing transactions. We also have “startup tool kits” which may be appropriate for your startup if the provisions you want included fall into one of a handful of options that we see frequently. Typical services for startups include:
- Business plan development
- Preparation of formation and organizational documents
- Buy-sell or shareholders’ agreements
- Initial contracts and advice, such as employment, customer, and supplier agreements
- Agreements to protect intellectual property rights
- Obtaining financing from seed, angel, and venture capital investors
- Developing and implementing strategic business combinations, sale transactions, and joint ventures
- Day-to-day corporate governance, securities, and other legal issues
Venture Capital
On the investor side, we represent venture capital and private equity or debt funds in fund formation, securities compliance, business transactional services and fiduciary advice. Typical services include:
- Venture capital fund formation
- Evaluating and structuring of initial and follow-on investments
- Advising on continuing relationships with portfolio companies
- Executing investment exit strategies
Startup Tool Kits
Startup toolkits are designed to give early stage companies a solid legal foundation at a reasonable and predictable cost. They also provide a menu of services so each client can pick and choose the services it needs.
Startup tool kits are not for every startup, but may be appropriate for your startup if the provisions you want included fall into one of a handful of options that we frequently see. They are not for startups requiring a significant amount of customized drafting, such as preferred or non-pro-rata distributions in a limited liability company agreement, or those requiring contracts with significant negotiation. If you’d like to learn more about startup tool kits please review the rest of this page and give us a call.
We currently have startup tool kits for the following:
Limited Liability Companies (including professional limited liability companies):
- Articles of Organization (TN or DE)
- Organizational Resolutions
- Operating Agreement (Member Managed, Manager Managed or Board Managed)
- Form Written Consent of Members, Managers and/or Directors
- Procurement of taxpayer identification number
- Three hours of attorney time for consultation and communications (in person, email and/or phone calls) (Two hours for single member LLCs)
Pricing is $750 for single member LLCs and $1,500 for multimember LLCs (excluding filing fees paid to Secretary of State and Register of Deeds).
Corporations (including professional corporations):
- Charter (TN) or Certificate of Formation (DE)
- Bylaws
- Organizational Resolutions
- Shareholders’ Agreement
- Subscription Agreements
- Stock Certificates
- Form Written Consent of Stockholders and Directors
- Procurement of a taxpayer identification number
- Filing an “S corporation” election if applicable
- Three hours of attorney time for consultation and communications (in person, email and/or phone calls) (Two hours for single shareholder corporations)
Pricing is $750 for single shareholders and $1,500 for two or more shareholders (excluding filing fees paid to Secretary of State and Register of Deeds).
Additional Documents and Services:
Each agreement or document includes one hour of attorney consultation time:
| Confidentiality Agreement | $500 |
| Employment Agreement | $750 |
| Independent Contractor Agreement | $750 |
| Proprietary Information and Inventions Assignment Agreement | $750 |
Hourly Rate Services:
Additional attorney time for consultation and/or communication
Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plans
Lease reviews
Other contracts