Startup Lawyer

Name: Startup Lawyer | Attorney for Business Startups | Pandev Law
Brand: Pandev Law
Rating: 5 (246 reviews)

Pandev Law's startup lawyers represent and advise startups, emerging, and high-growth companies at all stages of their evolution. Our startup attorneys represent founders, angel investors, and venture capital firms in a multitude of startup related transactions. Our experience advising both founders and investors provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the legal issues faced by startups at all stages of their lifecycle. If you're wondering how to find a startup lawyer, our firm exemplifies the pinnacle of legal expertise and dedication to the startup ecosystem. Due to our extensive experience with international clients we are considered the leading startup law firm for handling the unique multidisciplinary legal challenges faced by foreign startups, their founders, and investors. If you are wondering how to find a startup lawyer, look no further than our firm. Our business startup attorneys provide a full-spectrum of startup law services from formation to capital raising and intellectual property protection. Launching a new company is a complex endeavor, but you can rely on our team of highly-regarded startup lawyers to serve as your foundation through every step of the process. Pandev Law's startup attorneys have guided a long list of successful startup clients through critical milestones, including:

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5.0-star rated company
based on 246 customer reviews on Google

Startup Lawyer Client Reviews

Cal Egan

5.0

Adrian and his team were very helpful in launching our business on a very sensitive timeline. We could not have done it without their expertise. They were very helpful in answering all of our questions. They also anticipated and addressed problems we...Read more

Karan Narang

5.0

Used the services offered by Pandev Law to start a limited liability company and the entire experience was seamless to say the least. Very quick follow-ups from the team and they happily answer any and all questions you ask them with a perfect amount...Read more

Aniekeme Umoh

5.0

Adrian was absolutely wonderful to work with. It was so very clear that he cared about my case and he brought a balance of strong legal advice and conversational troubleshooting to fit the specificity of my situation. I waited till after we completed...Read more

Khanh Nguyen

5.0

You will be hard-pressed to find any service that is better than Pandev Law. They are extremely professional - the website is easy to navigate while packed with valuable information, you can easily schedule a call, and everyone is very reassuring, he...Read more

Jake Crossman

5.0

Pandev Law is an exceptionally professional legal team that go above-and-beyond for their clients. Working personally with Adrian and Michael, I can say with certainty that Pandev Law is a legal team with exceptional knowledge of the industry, as the...Read more

Dinesh Arjun

5.0

Just the nicest attorney I've met. Very straightforward and makes every effort to help his client. Would recommend 10/10.

George Darouni

5.0

I am extremely satisfied with my experience working with Pandev Law firm. Attorney Michael P. Hayes handled my case; he provided me with outstanding support and made the whole journey very smooth. Throughout the entire process, he handled each step w...Read more

Jordan Slotnick

5.0

Adrian did a great job. I was very happy with his work and he was very thorough. I highly recommend him.

Andrew Marchetti

5.0

Pandev Law helped me and my partner form our new LLC. They we’re responsive and professional and got the job done! Wouldn’t hesitate to have them represent me in the future!

Startup lawyers helping with startup formation

Author:

Adrian Pandev

Startup Formation

Properly organizing your startup is the first critical step in the startup process. Our startup lawyer services include the formation of your new business venture — from deciding on a specific entity type, to advising you on complex cross-border formation issues. We firmly believe an effective business startup attorney must have the ability to address all legal needs of the business in order to properly serve the needs and concerns of the client. As a fundamental aspect of the startup process, we understand that proper startup organization provides a long list of benefits to founders and investors, such as facilitating raising capital, gaining acceptance to leading accelerators, and entering important agreements with industry leaders.

Often, startup business lawyer fees are unmanageable for an emerging business. This is why we tailor the fees for our startup lawyer services to be compatible with the budgetary constraints most startups experience.

Startup Company Formation

Selecting the entity type for the new business is one of the first of many critical decisions every startup founder must make. As such, weighing out the pros and cons of each potential entity type your startup could adopt is vital in order to ensure the most advantageous selection is made. The plethora of options can present a daunting task in this regard, but our startup lawyer services can help you decide which structure is the best fit for the specific needs of your startup. The number of founders, the type of products and services offered by your startup, whether you wish to raise venture capital, and whether any of the founders are based outside the United States are just some of the multitude of factors that must be considered when deciding on the right entity type for your company. Pandev Law's startup attorneys have helped our clients form companies spanning a wide array of entity types including, but not limited to:

Corporation - including C-Corp and S-Corp
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Partnership - including GP, LP, LLP, LLLP
Benefit Corporation
Nonprofit Corporation

Our startup law services include advising on whether to form your company in the founders' home state or a more business-friendly jurisdiction, such as Delaware. After deciding on the best structure for your startup, our startup attorneys file all required documents with the appropriate government entities. During the formation process, our lawyers for business startups draft all necessary organizational documents, including company bylaws, operating agreements, stockholder agreements, director and shareholder resolutions, and various other corporate governance documents. If you are navigating how to find the best startup lawyer to form your company, our firm is here to advise. We help decide on the proper entity type, most advantageous jurisdiction, and best internal structure for your startup. Our business startup lawyers then make all necessary filings with the State Secretary's Office and IRS as well as draft all relevant formation documents. We provide you with a turn-key company formation service so you can focus on your startup business.

While we rely on our extensive experience to give your startup the successful beginning it deserves, we understand that your ability to budget for startup business lawyer fees might be limited. Taking that into consideration, as part of our startup lawyer services, we offer a flat fee company formation package that provides your startup business with the essentials it needs at a reasonable price.

Co-Founder Equity Split

Allocating equity and decision-making authority among co-founders from the outset is vital to ensuring your startup does not get exposed to crippling shareholder disputes. Fortunately, our startup lawyer services will provide you with the necessary advice to help you choose the best business equity structure, which can also massively impact the growth of your startup. Moreover, our talented team of lawyers for starting a business is able to draft all of the necessary documents to facilitate maximum growth of your new company:

Stock purchase agreements
Founder shares - ensure all founder shares are issued properly
Vesting schedules - design, implement, advise on vesting schedules
Cap tables - establish and manage cap tables
Shareholder and Founder agreements

Stock Option Pools & Equity Incentive Plans

Our startup lawyers understand that assembling a talented team is absolutely critical for any company's success. To incentivize employees, startups often create stock option pools or equity incentive plans that grant employees equity in the company when certain milestones are reached. Our startup attorneys have an in-depth understanding of the equity and stock option award process. We have developed and implemented employee incentive plans for startups of various sizes and in different industries. We understand the nuances of different stock options and focus on devising an incentive structure best tailored to your startup's needs.

Intellectual Property

We believe every founder must have adequate intellectual property protection to ensure their valuable ideas, branding, and designs are properly guarded. Our startup law firm offers comprehensive solutions, including Non-Disclosure Agreements, Confidentiality Agreements, and Intellectual Property (IP) Assignment Agreements to give all founders and equity holders of your startup peace of mind regarding the protection of its valuable IP assets. Our startup attorneys also ensure that all privacy policies included in these agreements are aligned with all relevant rules and regulations.

Startup Fundraising

To scale from a promising startup to a prospering emerging growth company often requires outside financing. Our startup law firm has extensive experience with the startup fundraising process. Our startup lawyers listen to your goals and concerns and develop capital raising strategies tailored to your startup's needs. We have represented startups and emerging growth companies in financing transactions at various stages of their growth cycle. Our startup attorney fundraising services include:

SAFE Agreements

The Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) is a relatively new legal instrument which has simplified the fundraising process. SAFE agreements are the most common seed fundraising vehicle, regularly used by our lawyer for business startups. SAFEs offer key advantages over other seed fund raising vehicles by eliminating accrued interest, set maturity dates, and all of the complexities of maturity events. This not only lowers legal costs, but also reduces the negotiation time — both benefits which are highly valuable to startup companies.

Pandev Law's startup attorneys understand the intricacies of SAFE agreements. We have the requisite expertise to advise on the correct use of pre-money vs post-money SAFEs, MFN provisions, maximum valuation caps, side letters, and pro rata rights for your startup. Although SAFEs are generally drafted by the company's business startup attorneys, often seed investors, such as angel investors, venture capital funds, or family and friends, may have specific requirements they wish to include in the SAFE. Our lawyers have represented numerous startups and investors during SAFE fundraising. We understand the critical terms for both investors and startups in SAFE agreements. We rely on our knowledge and experience to negotiate the terms of your SAFE agreements to ensure a successful fundraising round for your startup.

Convertible Notes

Our startup lawyer services include advising on convertible notes and determining whether they are a viable option for your startup. Convertible notes are debt instruments that convert into equity when a triggering event, most often a future equity investment, occurs. Our startup attorneys understand both the benefits and risks associated with convertible notes. If the note does not convert to equity in the company, a startup may be forced to pay the debt with accrued interest or enter complex negotiations to extend the maturity date. Our startup lawyers understand the nuances of convertible notes and use various provisions, such as automatic conversions, to protect our startup clients from unfavorable outcomes. As part of our legal services for startups, we draft, review, and negotiate the terms of convertible notes with a focus on your company's short and long term goals.

Series Seed Preferred

Seed investors sometimes prefer to receive a defined amount of equity for their capital investment. In such cases, the investor and startup must reach an agreement regarding the valuation of the company. Once a valuation is agreed upon, the parties enter a series seed preferred stock investment agreement through which the investor receives a specific amount of shares in return for its capital investment. Our business startup attorneys have years of experience with series seed preferred stock transactions, having represented startups in deals with some of the most prominent venture capital firms in the United States. Our series seed preferred startup attorney services include:

Term sheet - draft and negotiate transaction term sheet
Due diligence - review and clean up company documents
Restated Certificate of Incorporation - draft and review certificates
Corporate resolutions - draft stockholder and director resolutions
Indemnification agreements - review indemnification provisions
Securities filings - SEC and state blue sky filings
Cap table - manage company cap table
Negotiate and provide strategic advice throughout transaction

As a result of our extensive experience, our clients can be confident in our business setup attorneys' ability to provide comprehensive advice through every stage of their series seed preferred round.

Regulation Crowdfunding

Regulation Crowdfunding is a newer vehicle for startup fundraising. Regulation crowdfunding provides startups an opportunity to leverage their online following to raise funds. It allows companies to raise capital through online intermediaries or platforms. As any lawyer for business startups can attest, the rules governing crowdfunding are still evolving. Our attorneys have experience with crowdfunding and can help navigate you through the process. Our startup attorney services include analyzing whether your company is a good candidate for crowdfunding and guiding you through the legal steps and disclosures involved in the crowdfunding process.

Series A

Series A financing is an essential part of the growth path of every successful startup. Unlike seed funding, a startup going through Series A fundraising has usually reached a defined product-market fit and customer base. Our attorneys have a thorough understanding of the Series A fundraising process. We help founders prepare the company for a Series A round and negotiate the terms of the deal. Pandev Law's Series A startup lawyer services include determining investor rights, guiding founders through due diligence, and drafting all necessary agreements and resolutions to conclude the transaction. We work as your trusted advisor, helping you navigate the Series A process so that you can continue to focus on growing your company.

Series B, C, and Beyond

Pandev Law is here to help your company as it continues to scale. Our startup attorneys have the ability and necessary know-how to guide your company through series B, C, and subsequent fundraising rounds. We are considered leading lawyers for starting a business because we approach fundraising with a holistic strategy focusing on your exit goals as much as your company's current needs. This allows us to comprehensively and effectively advise you on the best practices through your Series B, C and subsequent rounds of capital raising.

Lawyer for business startups helping with startup agreements and contracts

Startup Agreements & Contracts

Pandev Law has earned a reputation as a leading startup law firm when it comes to assisting emerging companies on their path to growth. Our startup lawyer services focus on providing comprehensive guidance for your startup, relying on our broad range of expertise derived from working with numerous startups from around the world. Our legal services for startups include drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on a wide range of agreements and contracts. Our lawyers are intimately familiar with the numerous transactions faced by startups. We effectively advise clients throughout all phases of your company's growth process.

General Business Agreements

As part of our startup legal services, our team will assist you with any negotiations to successfully close a deal with the most favorable terms possible. We structure and draft all of your contracts and agreements to ensure the protection of your products, ideas, and business as a whole. Our business startup attorneys have the ability to draft and review a comprehensive array of contracts related to negotiations and agreements with clients, partners, vendors, and suppliers. In doing so, we will help ensure you are maximizing your profit and growth potential.

Technology Agreements

In today's digital world, a significant portion of newly formed business ventures focus on new technologies and their applications. As a founder or investor in a technology startup, you are undoubtedly aware of the inherent complexities associated with this rapidly evolving sector. It is critical that any lawyer for business startups be highly knowledgeable and experienced with various technology agreements. Pandev Law's business startup attorneys have the knowledge and expertise to draft and negotiate the best terms of a comprehensive array of tech-related agreements, including SaaS, development services, and manufacturing agreements. Our startup law firm has extensive experience with website terms and conditions, privacy policies, DMCA policies, and EULAs which can protect your startup from unwanted legal challenges.

Employment Agreements

Every startup company relies on the efforts of its dedicated team. This is why well-defined employee agreements represent the core of a healthy emerging company. Our startup lawyer services comprise employment and independent contractor agreements. Pandev Law's startup business attorneys assist clients with properly classifying staff as employees or independent contractors, and drafting employment agreements and independent contractor agreements. We help founders navigate their relationships with employees, contractors, and advisors. Our startup lawyer services cover the full spectrum of your employment agreement needs — from negotiation to advising on best practices for your startup company.

Intellectual Property Agreements

The business startup attorneys at Pandev Law recognize the essential need for startup business founders to preserve and protect their valuable intellectual property rights. The attorneys from Pandev Law's intellectual property practice have an impressive depth of experience with various IP transactions. Our startup law firm assists clients with:

Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights Agreements
Licensing Agreements
Non-Disclosure Agreements
Intellectual Property Assignment Agreements
Invention Assignment Agreements
Consulting Agreements
Development Agreements

Service Agreements

Service Agreements are essential for ensuring that all parties to a transaction understand their rights and obligations under an agreement. They minimize the risk of unmet expectations for all parties in a transaction. Pandev Law's business startup attorneys understand the critical importance of service agreements for the success of an emerging company. We have the necessary know-how to draft and negotiate effective service agreements to help scale your business.

Outsourcing Agreements

An outsourcing agreement is a contract that defines the rights and responsibilities of the parties involved in an outsourcing project, typically a vendor and a buyer. Outsourcing agreements are becoming more important as US startups outsource much of their production and services to foreign entities. A properly drafted outsourcing agreement can help define work expectations, quality parameters, timelines, and pricing structures, which are all integral parts of the production process. We are considered leading lawyers to set up a business because we have experience drafting and negotiating critical startup agreements, including outsourcing agreements, which help streamline production processes and avoid unnecessary setbacks.

Startup Corporate Governance

Establishing clearly defined corporate governance policies is critical for an emerging company's growth trajectory. Pandev Law is considered one of the top startup law firms because our attorneys understand the intricacies of the board of directors and board of advisors selection process. We have represented a long list of startups regarding corporate governance and shareholder issues. Our startup attorneys have experience documenting the election of board of directors and advisors. We regularly draft resolutions to memorialize corporate decisions, such as the formation of employee stock option pools and equity incentive plans. For those pondering where to find a startup lawyer for ensure proper startup corporate governance and compliance, our firm is here to help. As part of our due diligence for capital raises, mergers, or acquisitions, we review and clean up startup corporate governance documents and counsel founders on various corporate governance decisions. Our startup law team understands the goals of founders, their employees, and investors. We provide corporate governance advice that focuses on the continued scalability of your startup enterprise.

International Founder Startup Planning

Pandev Law's international focus makes us the premier startup law firm for foreign founders. Our startup lawyers have in-depth knowledge and years of experience structuring foreign-owned startups and negotiating cross-border transactions. We combine our corporate, tax, immigration, and regulatory practices to provide holistic legal services for startups. Foreign-owned startups often require special considerations driven by tax, immigration, and foreign legal constraints. Our startup attorneys are highly experienced in helping foreign startups enter the US market and raising funds from US-based investors. If you are a foreign founder looking for a lawyer for a business startup, our team of attorneys has the necessary know-how and international transaction experience to help you scale your US company.

Startup Investor Representation

As part of our startup lawyer services we represent individual and institutional investors looking for opportunities in the US startup ecosystem. Pandev Law's team of highly knowledgeable startup attorneys have successfully represented individuals, angel Investors, and venture capital firms in startup and early stage company investments. Our broad experience working with startups and their founders helps us effectively counsel investors on best practices. We are known to structure deals that protect investor capital while promoting startup company growth. Given our long list of foreign clients, we are widely considered a leading law firm for cross-border investment in US startups. Our attorneys understand the corporate governance of US startup companies and the intricacies of cross-border investments into the United States. We advise and represent foreign investors, both individual and institutional, through each step of the US startup investment process, from drafting initial term sheets to due diligence, negotiation, and through final closing of the deal.

Startup Exit Planning

Pandev Law is regarded as a top law firm for startups because our attorneys prioritize learning our clients' goals and motivations. We strive to understand what drives you so that we can help steer you towards a successful exit from your startup venture. Many startup founders are so consumed by the day-to-day management of the business that they forget their long-term objectives. Our startup lawyers help you navigate the everyday while focusing on your future goals. Regardless of your vision for your company's future, our attorneys can develop a comprehensive exit strategy and help guide you towards it. We understand that business plans are constantly evolving, so we help adapt your legal strategy to the changing circumstances of your business. When the time comes to make your exit, our seasoned startup lawyers will be there to structure and negotiate the exit transaction. Our goal is to ensure that you are rewarded for all of the hard work and dedication you have put into your business. Our highly experienced attorneys will not only plan and re-assess your exit strategy, but will also utilize our drafting and negotiation skills to ensure you receive the most favorable terms when the time comes for you to exit your startup venture.

Startup General Counsel Services

Pandev Law serves as outside general counsel to numerous startups nationwide. We understand that as the founder of an early stage company you will have many legal questions and require representation in various legal transactions. We tailor our startup general counsel servicesto your needs, objectives, and budget. We strive to become an integral component of your startup — a trusted legal advisor to whom you can turn during every important company decision and milestone. As your general counsel, our attorneys will obtain a holistic understanding of your business, which allows us to preempt legal issues and identify opportunities for your company. Our startup lawyers are focused on helping your company scale while protecting you from legal challenges. As part of general counsel services, you will have on-going access to comprehensive legal counsel with deep-rooted experience in startup matters. No matter the complexity of your business, our attorneys are here to guide and advise you through each step of your startup journey.

Startup Immigration Services

In addition to being a top startup law firm, Pandev Law is regarded as a leader in immigration law. This experience serves as the foundation on which our business startup attorneys consult founders who are foreign nationals. Our startup and immigration practices work together to provide comprehensive legal solutions for our foreign founder clients. Our in-depth knowledge and experience in both startup and immigration law differentiates us from our competitors and firmly establishes Pandev Law among the top startup law firms for foreign founders.

Foreign founders have to make sure their immigration status permits them to work for their startup. Because each visa category has specific requirements for both the petitioning company and the beneficiary employee, our startup attorneys perform a careful analysis of the company’s business, the founders’ goals, and the founders’ roles within the company. Our attorneys combine their immigration law and startup experience to deliver comprehensive immigration solutions that allow foreign founders to grow their US company. Some of the visa types that our attorneys have helped startup founders obtain include:

E-2 Visa:Available to foreign nationals who are citizens of a country that has a treaty with the United States. The E-2 visais widely used by foreign founders making a substantial investment in their US startup.
O-1 Visa: Available to foreign founders who possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. The O-1 visa is frequently used by founders of technology startups with STEM backgrounds.
L-1 Visa:Available to founders who worked for a subsidiary, parent, affiliate or branch office of the US company outside of the United States for at least one year out of the last three years.
H-1B Visa:Available to founders who hold a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field related to the work they are performing at the startup.
F-1 OPT Self-Employment:Available to foreign founders who are recent university graduates with approved post-completion OPT and meet certain requirements.

Startup Intellectual Property Services

Pandev Law is well equipped to advise our clients in obtaining protection for their company's intellectual property assets. Our team of business startup attorneys has extensive experience with intellectual property transactionsIP Protection for Startups. We specialize in a number of IP-related legal services for startups, including:

IP Transactions & Licensing: Our startup lawyer services include representing clients in intellectual property transactions. We represent startups in licensing, joint ventures, development, sales, and purchases of intellectual property. Pandev Law is known for its international capabilities in representing technology companies, making us a leader in cross-border IP transactions.
Internet & E-Commerce: Our business setup attorneys can advise on best practices to help navigate your company's online presence. The digital footprint of your startup might include a website, mobile app, podcast, and/or social media accounts. Pandev Law's startup lawyer services provide legal strategies that promote growth, while minimizing legal liability.
Website Agreements: Our attorneys advise startups on their online presence. We draft and review website agreements, such as terms of service, privacy policies, and license agreements. Founders often forget that as the owner of your company's website, you are in a legal relationship with every visitor to your site. As leading lawyers for business startups, we provide a full set of website agreements tailored to your startup's needs.
Advertising & Marketing: A strong social media presence, email marketing campaign, or online ad campaign can be highly beneficial for a startup company. However, the ever changing rules governing online advertising and the terms and conditions of social media platforms can expose your new business to a myriad of risks. The startup attorneys at Pandev Law understand the nuanced rules governing online advertising, marketing, and social media platform compliance.
Trademark & Copyright Prosecution: Our startup lawyer services include trademark and copyright prosecution to ensure your brand and original works are protected. As your startup grows, so does the value of your brand. Our attorneys help you protect and monetize your brand and original works.
Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Data Protection: Cybersecurity and data protection are an important risk management concern for startups. Cyber attacks and data breaches are increasing worldwide. Companies are under increased regulatory pressure to safeguard the confidential and personal information they are entrusted with. Our startup lawyers work together with engineering and technical teams to develop policies that protect our clients and their companies from data privacy and protection related legal challenges.

Adrian Pandev

As the principal attorney at Pandev Law, I have helped hundreds of foreign individuals and companies successfully navigate their journey to the United States. Previously, I served as Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice. Now, I represent foreign investors, founders, and high-net-worth-individuals in business, immigration, and wealth planning matters. I am an early proponent of blockchain technology and serve as strategic advisor to blockchain startups and cryptocurrency investors. Selected to the Super Lawyers New York Rising Starslist 2019-2021. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.