Emerging Growth
General. As a small firm, we believe we are uniquely positioned to assist founders and others with early-stage incorporation and investment. We do this work primarily with professionals with appropriate experience but at billing rates that generally are less than those of similarly-qualified professionals at the larger firms.
Out-Sourced General Counsel. The combination of our experience levels and competitive pricing structure allows us to provided out-sourced general counsel services to most of our private company clients until such time as they reach a size that justifies hiring a general counsel or director of legal affairs. We provide the substantial majority of these services internally, and, when necessary, draw upon the resources of other legal experts in the same manner that an in-house legal department would. Because we are not part of a larger firm, we do not need to cross-market services internally. Instead, we seek to find cost-effective and competitive services for our client with the specific persons having expertise in question.
Incorporation. We regularly represent newly-created corporations in a number of industries, typically technology or healthcare. We counsel founders and others on the various types of corporate structures available and the costs and benefits of each. We usually incorporate in the States of Delaware or California, and we advise our startups with compliance with the various corporate laws of each state, if applicable. We regularly assist with incorporation, capitalization, founder stock issuance, intellectual property matters, securities compliance, stock option plans and option grants, proprietary rights, employment or consulting agreements, and initial in- or out-licensing arrangements.
Finance. We assist emerging corporations with their initial financing arrangements in the form of equity, both preferred and common stock, and debt, secured and unsecured, convertible and senior securities or credit facilities. Our attorneys represent issues and others in venture financing transactions. We also represent investors in structuring their investments in emerging companies, again both as equity and debt.
Employees. We assist our emerging companies with their initial hiring of both employees and consultants, and the structuring of their employment arrangements. Where appropriate, we assist clients with the preparation of offer letters, consulting agreements, and stock or other equity compensation arrangements. We also assist with the preparation of employment agreements and change of control arrangements, either by contract or via equity instruments. When necessary, we assist clients seeking to secure intellectual property of their employees and the transition of founders or employees from current to new employment arrangements. We also assist our early-stage companies with the termination of founders or employees and compliance with related labor regulations.
Product Development & Launch. We assist our emerging companies with the development of their first product and subsequent launch. This may involve product development agreements, consulting or similar arrangements, commercial agreements partnering arrangements, distribution, or marketing agreements, and product policies, agreements and other regulatory matters.
Real Estate. As part of our general corporate work, we assist our start-up clients with the review and negotiation of their leases.