My presentation "Avoiding Key Legal Mistakes for Your Startup" to the February 2010 SproutUp. Useful links: - pick the right co-founder(s): http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/entrepreneur-dna/ http://venturehacks.com/articles/pick-cofounder - pick the right # of co-founders - http://venturehacks.com/articles/pick-cofounder - http://onstartups.com/tabid/3339/bid/1242/What-s-The-Optimal-Number-Of-Co-Founders-For-A-Startup-2-09.aspx

1. Avoiding Key Legal Mistakes! Rob Hyndman
Sprout Up, February 2010
for Your Startup

2. hyndmanlaw.com

3. robhyndman.com

4. @rhh

5. meshconference.com

6. Agenda
• Pick co-founders very carefully
• Structure co-founder
arrangements properly
• Be careful with equity
• Have proper employment and IP
ownership documents
• Incorporate
• Raise awareness before money
• Don’t be a jerk

7. Before you
start

8. Pick co-founders!
*very* carefully

9. Structure co-founder!
arrangements properly

10. Be careful with your equity

11. Have proper employment and!
IP ownership documents

12. Incorporate

13. Raise awareness!
before money

14. Don’t be!
a jerk

15. Agenda
• Pick co-founders very carefully
• Structure co-founder
arrangements properly
• Be careful with equity
• Have proper employment and IP
ownership documents
• Incorporate
• Raise awareness before money
• Don’t be a jerk

16. Avoiding Key Legal Mistakes! Rob Hyndman
Sprout Up, February 2010
for Your Startup