Startups and Emerging Companies

Now taking applications for the Spencer Fane Startup Lab.

As an entrepreneur, you’ve found your niche in the marketplace, where a need matches your expertise, and you’re ready to create and market your product or service. But before you can build a profitable business, there are legal hurdles to overcome that can be daunting. Where do you get your financing? How do you form your business? What vendors and partners are needed to achieve your vision? How do you protect your assets?

Overview

Guiding leaders of emerging companies through the web of legal issues faced by new businesses

Tackling the complex legal issues that are front and center for every new business can seem daunting. Spencer Fane attorneys help to address these issues efficiently and effectively, so entrepreneurs and business leaders can focus on translating their vision and creativity into marketable products and services.

Members of our Startups and Emerging Companies team advise on:

  • Incorporation, including advice on choosing the right type of entity – an LLC, partnership, or single ownership – and drafting business formation documents.
  • Funding / financing, including advice and assistance regarding private placements, public offerings, and borrowing from traditional and venture capital lenders.
  • Contracts, including contracts for customer purchases, vendors, employees, independent contractors, and even a partner.
  • Ownership of intellectual property, including avoiding missteps with patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
  • Regulatory compliance, including educating new business leaders on a range of regulatory issues and helping them stay in compliance.
  • Taxes, including sales tax, property tax, income tax and a myriad of other tax issues – local, state, and federal.
  • Employment, including helping employers avoid, minimize, and resolve issues with employees.
  • Mergers and acquisitions, including acquiring, divesting, or restructuring businesses.
  • Estate planning, including planning for the orderly and tax-efficient use and transfer of business interests and other assets from one generation to the next.

Now taking applications for the Spencer Fane Startup Lab. You can view the program description here, and complete an application for the program here. Please email completed applications to Patrick McAndrews at pmcandrews@spencerfane.com.