Posts Tagged ‘409A’
Legal Checklist for Startups
by Scott Edward Walker on November 2nd, 2011

I’ve been a corporate lawyer for 17+ years, and there are certain fundamental legal mistakes that I’ve seen startups repeatedly make. Accordingly, I thought it would be helpful to provide a simple checklist for startups, which includes links to prior posts for a more detailed discussion. (This post was originally published as part of the “Ask the Attorney” series I am writing for VentureBeat.)
(more…)
Tags: 409A, 83(b) election, accredited investors, checklist for startups, corporate lawyer, equity, IP ownership, legal checklist, legal fees, stock options, vesting schedules
Posted in Startup Issues | 2 Comments »
How to Hire a Superstar Engineer for Your Startup
by Scott Edward Walker on June 2nd, 2011
Introduction
This post was originally part of my “Ask the Attorney” series which I am writing for VentureBeat (one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs). Below is a longer, more comprehensive version. Please shoot me any questions you may have in the comments section – or feel free to call me directly at 310-288-6667 (Los Angeles) or 415-979-9998 (San Francisco). Many thanks, Scott
Question
We launched a consumer internet site about a year ago, and we’re starting to get some really good traction. We’ve spoken to a bunch of angel investors and they all told us that we need to get an engineer on our team (my partner and I are both business guys and we outsourced the development). The problem is we’re in Silicon Valley, and we obviously don’t have the money to compete with the big tech companies for talent. Can you please give us some advice on hiring a superstar engineer and the key legal issues that we should be addressing. Thanks!
(more…)
Tags: 409A, Chris Dixon, Founder Stories, Meebo, offer letter, silicon valley, startup, stock option plan, vesting
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments Off on How to Hire a Superstar Engineer for Your Startup
Ask the Business Attorney – What Is an Employee Stock Option?
by Scott Edward Walker on June 2nd, 2010
Introduction
This post was originally part of my weekly “Ask the Attorney” series which I am writing for VentureBeat (one of the most popular websites for entrepreneurs). Below is a longer, more comprehensive version. Please shoot me any questions you may have in the comments section. Many thanks, Scott
(more…)
Tags: 409A, acceleration, business attorney, employees, option pool, restricted stock, securities laws, stock option, vesting, vesting schedules
Posted in Ask the Attorney, Startup Issues | Comments Off on Ask the Business Attorney – What Is an Employee Stock Option?