Your first offer letters set the pattern for every hire after them. We build letters that state pay, classification, at-will status and equity accurately, and pair them with an invention assignment agreement. They are adjusted for the states where your people actually work.
At a glance
- Practice
- Employment
- 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 are making your first full-time hire after raising a round
- 02
You are hiring someone in a new state for the first time
- 03
A candidate's lawyer has sent back edits to your offer
- 04
You have been using a template from the internet and want to know what it is missing
What you get
Scoped in writing before we start. One flat fee for all of it.
- Offer letter templates for exempt and non-exempt roles
- Confidential information and invention assignment agreement
- Equity language that describes the grant without promising terms the board has not approved
- State-specific adjustments for pay transparency, notices and restrictive covenants
- Guidance on exempt versus non-exempt classification for each role
- Short hiring checklist covering I-9, payroll setup and board approvals
How it works
- 1
Hiring plan review
We look at the roles, locations and comp structure you plan to offer.
- 2
Draft templates
We prepare the letters and invention assignment agreement and walk you through each clause.
- 3
Deal support
We help you respond to candidate questions or edits on specific offers as they come in.
Mistakes we help you avoid
The ones we see most often, and catch before they cost you.
- Avoided
Calling someone exempt based on title when their salary or duties do not meet federal or state tests
- Avoided
Promising a specific number of options or a strike price before the board approves the grant
- Avoided
Including a non-compete for a California employee, which is generally void and can expose the company to liability
- Avoided
Skipping the invention assignment agreement so early work is not clearly owned by the company
Offer Letters: questions founders ask
At minimum: title, start date, pay, exempt or non-exempt status, at-will language, and any equity subject to board approval. It should reference a separate confidentiality and invention assignment agreement. State rules may add required notices or pay disclosures.
Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime because they meet both a salary threshold and a duties test under federal law. Several states, including California, New York and Washington, set higher thresholds or stricter tests. Getting this wrong can create back-pay liability for overtime.
It depends on the state. California generally voids employee non-competes, and a growing number of states restrict them by salary level or role. Confidentiality and non-solicitation terms are usually the better tool, though even those vary by state.
The letter can describe the proposed grant, but the grant itself only exists once the board approves it under your equity plan. The letter should say so clearly. This avoids disputes over share counts or strike prices if the 409A value changes before approval.
Get a flat-fee quote for Offer Letters.
A short call with an attorney. You leave with a written scope and one fixed price.
Book a call