Legal support for startups

In what cases is legal support necessary for a startup?

Legal support for a startup is important at various stages of its development for legal security and protection of the rights and legitimate interests of the enterprise. This procedure plays a crucial role in resolving a large number of legal issues, the main ones of which are:

1. registration of an innovative product as an intellectual property object;
2. choosing an organizational and legal form for registering a company and conducting operational activities related to the distribution of costs and profits for the implementation of a startup;
3. taking measures to commercialize and protect a startup;
4. attracting investments and grant funding for innovation;
5. conducting activities to conclude agreements on the further disposal of the startup, its development;
6. supporting a startup during its entry into international markets (including tax consulting, monitoring changes in legislation, activities to conclude agreements on the purchase and sale of foreign assets of partners, etc.);
7. corporate governance issues, etc.

Due to the high level of competition in many industries (including fintech, IT, etc.), a successful startup launch is possible thanks to the correct legal registration and a high-quality implementation scheme, which includes effective interaction with investors, partners, and clients. In order not to waste time on an in-depth study of all the legal nuances, but rather to focus on the technical component and promotion strategy, it is worth enlisting the reliable support of a professional lawyer.

The procedure for legal support for startups: key points

Legal support for a startup is a complex process that includes a number of stages. Below are the main points of this procedure:

• first, a meeting with the founders of the startup to understand their business model, goals and needs. This involves analyzing the idea and potential risks of its implementation (taking into account all the subtleties of the legal procedure), consulting on the choice of organizational and legal form for registering a business or jurisdiction (if the business is planned outside Ukraine), assessing intellectual property protection, etc.;
• second, registering an action regarding IPR and the company. At this stage, the lawyer helps to quickly register the company, register it with the tax authority, hold the relevant licensing documents (if necessary), prepare the necessary constituent documents. The specialist will also take responsibility for registering trademarks, patents and copyrights;
• third, drawing up contractual and labor relations with employees, partners and other counterparties. At this stage, it is mandatory to develop employment agreements and contracts, formalize relationships with key team members (primarily the startup’s management team), develop a confidentiality policy, conclude agreements with developers, etc.
• fourthly, activities to attract investment and grant funding. This stage involves the lawyer’s activities in preparing documents for attracting investment (business plan, Pitch Deck, etc.), preparing investment agreements, conducting due diligence of partners and investors, searching for relevant grant programs for participation and supporting the submission of applications;
• fifthly, other additional services (the client chooses them as needed). The lawyer can also participate in resolving disputes that may arise during the implementation of the startup, with clients and counterparties, provide representation of the company’s interests in courts and regulatory authorities, business accounting support services, etc.

Consultation with a specialized lawyer

It is worth emphasizing that each startup has its own characteristics, so legal support must be adapted to specific needs. The company “Prikhodko and Partners” actively implements an individual approach to solving each client’s request, using qualifications and professional experience.

Legal support for further investment in a startup

Most startups start their activities with minimal funding, so finding investors ready to support the project becomes a key task. These can be business angels, venture funds. Regardless of the form of investment, it is important to properly formalize legal relations in order to avoid possible risks.

Comprehensive legal support for attracting investments in a startup from experienced specialists of the Law Firm “Prikhodko and Partners” provides:

• legal audit — checking the legal purity of the company, identifying potential legal risks and eliminating them;
  preparation of appropriate documents — investment memorandum, preliminary investment conditions, shareholder agreement, other agreements;
• conducting negotiations with investors — representing and protecting the interests of the company during negotiations, analyzing and adjusting investment conditions, preparing and agreeing on final versions of investment documents;
• registration of investments — organizing and controlling the process of transferring funds and registering rights to shares or shares, monitoring the parties’ compliance with the terms of the investment agreement, etc.

Cost of legal support

Launching a startup requires a systematic approach and careful consideration of key aspects of the activity. A properly developed business plan plays an important role. Experienced lawyers and specialists from the grants and investment attraction department of the law firm “Prikhodko & Partners” will help create the necessary documentation and regulate internal processes.

Thus, legal support is necessary at all stages of a startup’s development, from registration to entering international markets, to ensure legal security and protect the company’s interests. The law firm “Prikhodko & Partners” can provide various support services for startups, including: registration of an intellectual property right, preparation of documents for attracting investments, registration of labor relations within the company for effective management, tax consulting, etc.

Contact the lawyers of “Prikhodko & Partners” and be sure of the strength of the legal protection of your startup. To find out the cost of legal support, please fill out the form below.