Whether you are just launching your venture or busy growing it, you face critical decisions about every aspect of your business. On the legal front, founders typically address issues related to entity formation, intellectual property protection, compliance with employment laws, tax planning, and financing.
Startups that seek legal advice early can avoid some of the most common mistakes and pitfalls that can trigger legal issues, ruin deals, cause financial repercussions, or limit their ability to reap the full rewards of their idea.
Carlton Fields offers startups and entrepreneurs cost-effective legal services arrangements and fixed-fee packages tailored to their specific needs, to help ensure success from the outset.
For more information about our legal services and fixed-fee packages, contact Gail Podolsky at 404.815.2714 or gpodolsky@carltonfields.com.
Entity Formation Package
Entity formation services include forming either a simple corporate structure or a simple limited liability company, and providing the basic agreements, documents, and filings required for that entity to begin doing business.
This package includes up to two hours with a corporate attorney to discuss options and issues relating to entity selection and initial capitalization; preparation of formation documents; entity formation and filings; registered agent provider list; preparation of basic documents as appropriate, including assignment of intellectual property by founders, mutual non-disclosure agreement, basic website usage terms, basic website privacy policy; and discounts on future services.
Intellectual Property Protection Package
Intellectual property protection includes consulting on general IP protection strategies, an initial trademark filing and preliminary search, discounts on future patent prosecution projects, and basic IP protection agreements. This package includes:
IP Consulting: Up to two hours of consultation on intellectual property strategies including preserving trade secret protection, issues relating to work-for-hire and copyright protection, confidentiality agreements, and possible patent protection options.
Trademark Filing and Preliminary Search: Includes a limited preliminary trademark search for up to two trademark choices; consultation regarding search results; and filing of one use-based trademark or service mark, or one intent to use application with a subsequent statement of use. Post-filing, we will provide up to one hour of advocacy with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the event of objections to the application.
Basic IP Agreements: Employee confidentiality and IP ownership agreement; service provider/consulting agreement with IP assignment; unidirectional non-disclosure agreement; form copyright assignment; and form model release.
Financing Preparation Package
Financing preparation services are directed to companies seeking seed-level financing from acquaintances and angel investors. They include consultation on financing options, revisions to corporate documents to make them “investor-ready,” and preparation of basic financing documents. This package includes up to two hours of initial consulting on financing strategies and securities law issues, basic financing documents, and discounts on future services.
Agreements provided include term sheet, subscription agreement, and stock purchase agreement (early round financing of common stock), purchaser representative’s questionnaire and investor questionnaire (if necessary), convertible note purchase agreement and convertible promissory note, stockholders agreement (series preferred stock offering), and investor non-disclosure agreement.
Basic Employment Documents
Basic employment services include providing the company with a template hire letter, a basic employment agreement, and an employment agreement for key executives and employees that will include a basic equity provision. The package also includes discounts on future services, including, employment policies and an employment manual.
Basic Immigration Work
Immigration services include the preparation of visas, including the B1/B2 visa, H-1B Specialty Occupation visa, E-3 Specialty Occupation Professionals from Australia visa, and L-1A Intracompany Transferee of Executive/Manager. The package also includes discounts on future services.
The information on this website is presented as a service for our clients and Internet users. It is not intended to be legal advice, and should not be considered as such. Although we welcome your inquiries, please note that merely contacting us will not establish an attorney-client relationship between us. Consequently, you should not convey any confidential information to us until a formal attorney-client relationship has been established. A person may become a client of Carlton Fields only through a written engagement letter between that person and the firm, after the firm has had an opportunity to review its database to assure no conflict exists and after deciding whether the representation is appropriate. Please remember that electronic mail is not secure, and that you should not include sensitive or confidential information in messages. With that in mind, we look forward to hearing from you.