STARTUP ATTORNEY AUSTIN TX
Austin's startup ecosystem — anchored by the Domain, East Austin incubators, and UT Austin's research commercialization — is one of the most active in the country. Startups face unique legal challenges at every stage: entity formation and founder agreements, intellectual property protection, equity compensation, seed and venture financing, customer contracts, and employment law compliance. Our Austin startup attorneys serve early-stage and growth-stage companies.
What We Can Help You With
Entity formation
Delaware C-corp vs. Texas LLC — choosing the right structure for your VC-backed or bootstrapped startup
Founder agreements
Equity splits, vesting schedules, IP assignments, and non-compete provisions between co-founders
IP protection
Patent strategy, trademark registration, trade secret protection, and open source compliance
Seed and venture financing
SAFEs, convertible notes, Series A term sheets, and investor rights agreements
Employment agreements
Offer letters, equity grants, non-solicitation agreements, and employee IP assignments
Customer and vendor contracts
SaaS agreements, MSAs, NDAs, and data processing agreements for tech companies
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my Austin startup be a Delaware corporation or a Texas LLC?▾
VC-backed companies almost always form as Delaware C-corporations — investors prefer Delaware law, and most term sheets assume C-corp structure. Bootstrapped companies may benefit from Texas LLC flexibility and pass-through taxation.
What is a SAFE and how does it work?▾
A Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) is a convertible instrument that gives investors the right to receive equity in a future financing round. SAFEs don't have interest rates or maturity dates, making them simpler than convertible notes.
Do co-founders need a written agreement?▾
Yes. A co-founder agreement covering equity splits, vesting, IP assignment, decision-making authority, and what happens if a co-founder leaves is essential — and must be done at the beginning, before any conflict arises.
How do I protect my startup's intellectual property?▾
File provisional patent applications early. Register trademarks for your brand. Ensure all employees and contractors sign IP assignment agreements. Identify and protect trade secrets through NDAs and security practices.
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