Founder disagreements are easier to settle in writing before there is real value at stake. We document how equity is split, how it vests, who owns the IP and what happens if someone leaves, using the stock and IP documents investors will later expect. Founder documents are done for a flat fee, quoted before we put pen to paper.
At a glance
- Practice
- Venture & Corporate
- Pricing
- Flat fee, quoted before we start
- Included
- 6 deliverables
- Process
- 3 steps, one named attorney
- Where we work
- Slack, email or a call
When founders call us
The moments that usually bring a company to us for this work.
- 01
You and a friend have been building nights and weekends and want to formalize who owns what.
- 02
A co-founder is joining after the company was formed and needs stock on fair terms.
- 03
A founder wants to step back to part time and you need to adjust vesting.
- 04
A co-founder is leaving and you need to handle unvested shares and a clean exit.
What you get
Scoped in writing before we start. One flat fee for all of it.
- Restricted stock purchase agreements with time-based vesting and a cliff
- Single or double-trigger acceleration provisions as agreed
- Confidential information and invention assignment agreements for each founder
- Assignment of pre-formation IP into the company
- Board consent approving founder issuances
- Founder departure documents, including repurchase of unvested shares and release, when needed
How it works
- 1
Founder conversation
We talk through equity split, roles, time commitment and prior IP so the documents reflect what you actually agreed.
- 2
Drafting
We prepare stock, vesting and IP documents and explain the practical effect of each clause on a founder exit.
- 3
Execution
We collect signatures, update the cap table and remind each founder of the 30-day 83(b) deadline where it applies.
Mistakes we help you avoid
The ones we see most often, and catch before they cost you.
- Avoided
Splitting equity evenly by default without vesting, so a co-founder who leaves early keeps a large stake.
- Avoided
Leaving IP created before formation, or at a prior employer, with unclear ownership.
- Avoided
Relying on a handshake about roles and decision rights until a dispute forces the question.
- Avoided
Forgetting that a founder with an employer may be bound by an invention assignment that reaches startup work.
Founder Agreements: questions founders ask
A common arrangement is four years of vesting with a one-year cliff, so nothing vests in the first year and the rest vests monthly after that. Some founders get credit for time already worked. Investors generally want to see founder vesting in place before they invest.
With a restricted stock agreement, the company usually has the right to repurchase unvested shares, typically at the lower of cost or fair market value. Vested shares stay with the departing founder. The details depend on what the agreement says, which is why it matters to sign one early.
Double-trigger acceleration speeds up vesting only if two things happen: the company is acquired and the founder is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason within a set period. Single-trigger acceleration vests shares on the sale alone. Investors and acquirers generally prefer double-trigger.
In a corporation, most founder terms are best captured in the stock purchase agreements, IP assignments and bylaws rather than a standalone contract. Some teams also sign a short side document on roles and decision-making. What fits depends on your team and how you plan to operate.
Get a flat-fee quote for Founder Agreements.
A short call with an attorney. You leave with a written scope and one fixed price.
Book a call