Lewis Rice's Early-Stage Companies practice group provides comprehensive legal support tailored to the unique needs of startups and emerging businesses. We guide founders through every phase of growth, from initial formation and funding to scaling operations and strategic exits. Our team counsels clients in corporate structuring, venture capital and other financing alternatives, intellectual property, employment law, and regulatory compliance. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities early-stage companies face, we are committed to providing innovative and practical legal solutions to help your business thrive in a competitive landscape.
Services include:
- Entity formation and structuring
- Seed and venture capital financing
- Drafting and negotiating founders' agreements
- Intellectual property protection and strategy
- Employment and independent contractor agreements
- Equity compensation and stock options
- Compliance with securities regulations
- Contract drafting, review, and negotiation
- Mergers, acquisitions, and exit strategies
- Ongoing corporate governance and regulatory compliance
Our Approach
We believe prevention is the best strategy. Our comprehensive legal support spans the life cycle of a business, helping entrepreneurs transform a "back-of-a-napkin" idea into a valuable enterprise. Acting as a resource from entity selection and formation to strategic exits, we offer cradle-to-grave representation that empowers startups to thrive. Our guidance extends through every phase of growth, combining practical legal solutions with innovative thinking to navigate the competitive startup landscape and set a solid foundation for success.
