what lawyer specializes in startup companies

by Alfreda Breitenberg 4 min read

How to find a startup lawyer?

Apr 13, 2022 · The best lawyers will be willing to engage their own personal network for the growth of your startup. Breadth of Knowledge: Another thing to look for while hiring is your potential lawyer’s breadth...

Do startup companies need lawyers?

Find the top Startup Lawyers on UpCounsel near you and receive custom quotes in 24 hours. Get your legal work done right and save on legal fees. Trusted by Airbnb, Reddit, and 15,000+ other companies, UpCounsel lawyers have an average of 14+ years of experience and come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law.

What is a startup lawyer?

Are startup lawyers entrepreneurs?

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What is a company lawyer called?

Litigators can also be corporate attorneys, as they are lawyers who represent corporations, either bringing a suit against an identity or defending the corporation if it is being sued. Corporate lawyers are typically found in large law firms, with seasoned experts working as an in-house counsel.Jul 12, 2018

What questions should I ask a startup lawyer?

7 questions to ask your startup lawyerDo You Work With Companies Comparable to Mine? ... How Do You Bill? ... Will I Be Comfortable Working With You? ... What Is Your Focus? ... What Is Your Past Experience? ... Are You the Best in the City? ... What Is Your Age and Experience With Technology?Aug 3, 2013

What is the most needed type of lawyer?

The Top 10 Lawyer Types You're Most Likely to NeedCivil Litigation Lawyer (a.k.a. Trial Attorney) ... Criminal Defense Lawyer. ... Defamation Lawyer (a.k.a. Libel and Slander Attorney) ... Business Lawyer (litigation or transactional) ... Family Lawyer (a.k.a. Domestic Relations Attorney; a.k.a. Divorce Lawyer) ... Traffic Lawyer.More items...•Dec 31, 2015

What is the highest paid lawyer type?

Medical Attorneys MedicalMedical Attorneys Medical lawyers are among the highest-paid types of lawyers and earn one of the highest median salaries in the legal field.

How can lawyers help startups?

Legal help for Startups in their business formation and to cover statutory legal compliances results in laying a solid base and hassle-free operations which provides entrepreneurs/ founders/ promoters to focus on the more vital needs such as hiring, funding and finance and other processes to enable growth.

What lawyers are in highest demand?

Highest paid lawyers: salary by practice areaPatent attorney: $180,000.Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.Trial attorneys: $134,000.Tax attorney (tax law): $122,000.Corporate lawyer: $115,000.Employment lawyer: $87,000.Real Estate attorney: $86,000.Divorce attorney: $84,000.More items...•Dec 14, 2021

What's the easiest type of lawyer to be?

Estate Planning Although being a legal clerk is the easiest career path, it is only suited for beginners. Estate planning wins the most stress-free legal practice area when practicing law for lawyers. Many lawyers avoid estate planning as it is a field of law associated with death.Jan 30, 2022

What are the 4 types of law?

In this presentation, we will examine the four primary sources of law at the state and federal levels. These four sources of law are the United States Constitution, federal and state statutes, administrative regulations, and case law.

How much do Harvard lawyers make?

No. 2 is Harvard Law School, where grads with little or no experience pull down a median salary of $143,000. At mid-career, Harvard law graduates earn $234,000, on average. Stanford and University of Virginia follow closely, with recent grads earning $133,000 and $130,000, respectively.Mar 13, 2012

Which lawyers are the happiest?

The happiest attorneys, therefore, are those who experience a cultural fit. This means they work for firms where they are free to act independently, do work that matters to them and collaborate on teams with people who complement their personality and communication style.Jun 25, 2019

What type of lawyer makes the least money?

In general, private sector lawyers make more money than public sector lawyers, and sole practitioners earn less money than lawyers at large firms. Geography will impact salary, with lawyers in bigger cities bringing home more than lawyers in rural areas.

Experience with startups

Choose a lawyer who is experienced in working with startups in your industry and building those startups into successful companies. If the lawyer is part of a large firm that has a startup or ‘emerging companies’ practice, you may have a ‘1-stop-shop’ benefit that includes the various specialty areas startups will eventually need as they grow.

Law firm culture

A law firm’s culture can be very relevant to its clients. In firms with a collaborative or ‘team’ culture, your lawyer is better able to leverage the collective knowledge of his or her colleagues to offer more effective and efficient legal counsel, quicker responses and business-friendly answers.

Connections to capital

Don’t underestimate the ‘non-legal’ services that your lawyer can provide. In addition to representing startups, some firms also have a venture capital practice where they represent VCs in their fund formation and investment activities.

Cost

Early-stage startups are often cash constrained and attorney billable hourly rates are high. A good startup lawyer is sensitive to this and may be willing to offer a flexible fee arrangement to unfunded startups. These arrangements can take many forms, and a good startup lawyer will be happy to discuss options with you.

Chemistry

A great legal advisor is important as you launch and grow your company. Choose a lawyer who is smart, accessible, interested in you and your company, easy to talk to, and is someone you can count on to be available and honest with you. You’ll be working with your lawyer through exciting and occasionally difficult times – choose wisely!

What should a startup have?

Every startup should have standard forms written up that protect your company from legal issues arising with your customers, employees, and even your website. A corporate lawyer can help you draft these important agreements.

What is a standard contract?

These standard forms are drafted to be in favor of your company and provide fast and efficient templates for beginning negotiations when entering into new business relationships. With customers, this standard contract generally establishes what your product offers and limits your liability. Common examples of these kinds of standard customer contract are a Master Services Agreement or Terms of Use/Terms of Service contract.

What is a privacy policy?

A Privacy Policy is a legal statement that establishes what personal data is collected from users of the site and how such data may be used, sold or released to third parties.

What to consider when choosing a startup attorney?

Consider your budget and needs when choosing a startup attorney. As a rule, the larger the legal firm, the greater its overhead, and thus the more you can expect to pay.

What does a lawyer do for a company?

Your lawyer will help you draft agreements clearly outlining the way your company's founders, employees, and investors will interact. These agreements provide a guide for how to resolve disputes about things like ownership rights, equity, and confidentiality. All businesses must comply with government guidelines.

How to protect your business' intellectual property?

Help your business protect its intellectual property, including filing copyright, trademark, and patent applications, and making sure it doesn't breach any other business's intellectual property rights. Advise you whether to become a corporation or a limited liability company and prepare required paperwork.

Who is Seth Wiener?

As an experienced trial lawyer and litigator, Seth Wiener has resolved numerous federal and state litigations. His cases have included everything from family law to bankruptcy to fraud and more. Before Seth formed his own firm, the Law Office of Seth W. Wiener, he worked for several prominent law offices where he gained a great deal of experience.

How to become a limited liability company?

Advise you whether to become a corporation or a limited liability company and prepare required paperwork. Register your business for federal and state tax identification numbers. Advise you of the tax consequences of your business transactions. Help you incorporate your business.

Who is Geoffrey Amend?

Geoffrey Amend has over 21 years of experience as a business attorney. He is licensed to practice law in Kansas. Geoffrey has represented numerous corporate clients, including JungleBee, MomoCentral and APIMATIC. He started his own legal firm in 2013 and was the general counsel at Chelsea Partner before starting his own firm. Geoffrey graduated with a J.D. in law from the Washburn University School of Law in 1995.

Who is Steven Stark?

For over 30 years, Steven Stark has offered counsel to non-profit organizations and private companies. He has a passion for helping small businesses in particular since he himself started several businesses of his own in New York and Florida. He understands the importance of small businesses having a reliable attorney to advise them about legal matters from their inception.

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Experience with Startups

  • Choose a lawyer who is experienced in working with startups in your industry and building those startups into successful companies. If the lawyer is part of a large firm that has a startup or ‘emerging companies’ practice, you may have a ‘1-stop-shop’ benefit that includes the various specialty areas startups will eventually need as they grow. In addition to general corporate repre…
See more on cooleygo.com

The day-to-day…

  • Law firms are made up of attorneys with various levels of experience and billable rates – from partners to junior associate lawyers. You should know what the day to day (or month to month) communication with the legal team will look and feel like. Ask: 1. Who will your primary point of contact be? 2. How can you be assured that your questions/issues are being addressed by the ri…
See more on cooleygo.com

Law Firm Culture

  • A law firm’s culture can be very relevant to its clients. In firms with a collaborative or ‘team’ culture, your lawyer is better able to leverage the collective knowledge of his or her colleagues to offer more effective and efficient legal counsel, quicker responses and business-friendly answers. Culture is not an easy area for an outsider to assess, but ask the lawyer to describe the firm’s cul…
See more on cooleygo.com

Connections to Capital

  • Don’t underestimate the ‘non-legal’ services that your lawyer can provide. In addition to representing startups, some firms also have a venture capital practice where they represent VCs in their fund formation and investment activities. A firm with a strong VC practice has deep relationships with investors that can be helpful to startup founders as they fundraise, and your la…
See more on cooleygo.com

Cost

  • Early-stage startups are often cash constrained and attorney billable hourly rates are high. A good startup lawyer is sensitive to this and may be willing to offer a flexible fee arrangement to unfunded startups. These arrangements can take many forms, and a good startup lawyer will be happy to discuss options with you. Realize that law firms are investing their time and taking a ris…
See more on cooleygo.com

Chemistry

  • A great legal advisor is important as you launch and grow your company. Choose a lawyer who is smart, accessible, interested in you and your company, easy to talk to, and is someone you can count on to be available and honest with you. You’ll be working with your lawyer through exciting and occasionally difficult times – choose wisely!
See more on cooleygo.com

Incorporation

  • Almost every startup forms an entity early, and with good reason. Incorporationcan provide your startup the legal protections and structure that a growing business needs. Even once startups have decided to form a legal entity, however, questions remain regarding the ideal legal structure for the business and the appropriate allocation of initial shares of the company.
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Standard Forms

  • Every startup should have standard forms written up that protect your company from legal issues arising with your customers, employees, and even your website. A corporate lawyer can help you draft these important agreements.
See more on priorilegal.com

Securities Law

  • Many startups do not consider the implications of securitieslaw on early issuances of stock, especially when dealing with friends and family investors. It is vital, however, that you comply with all SEC guidelines and other securities laws from the very beginning of your existence as a company.A lawyer can help you understand how to comply with these rules, including making re…
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IP Protection

  • For many startups, intellectual property is a vital asset. Accordingly, its generally important to take steps to protect this IP with patents, copyrights, trademarks and licenses as appropriate. In terms of more day-to-day protections, it’s generally important to have all employees and contractors execute proprietary inventions and non-disclosure agreements. Finally, as you consider the nam…
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Corporate Governance

  • Starting off with solid relationships with investors, partners, advisors and your board is vital to successfully launching your business. Yet far too often, startups fail to lay out corporate governance documents early on, pushing off the task until problems have already arisen. You should establish corporate governance documents with clear clauses as soon as you have any a…
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Priori Pricing

  • "Startup" law encompasses a wide-range of different needs, so the cost of hiring a startup lawyer can vary significantly. If you hire a startup lawyer through Priori, hourly rates tend to range from $150 to $350 per hour. In order to get a better sense of cost for your particular situation, put in a request to schedule a complimentary consultation and receive a free price quote from one of ou…
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FAQs

  • Isn’t it better to save money on legal fees in the early stages of a startup?
    Unfortunately, this common belief in the startup community has led to many legal disasters later on down the road. Hiring legal counsel when forming a company can help you mitigate significant risks. Finding an attorney who specializes in startups that you trust who can tell you honestly wh…
  • Are there any other legal issues that could affect my startup?
    Absolutely. Starting a business exposes you to tons of legal issues that you probably never dreamed of before establishing your startup. Startup law—and corporate law as a whole— is incredibly complex. That’s why an experienced startup lawyer is your best bet for staying compli…
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