California Employment Contract Cost (2026)

I'm a California-licensed attorney with 18+ years of experience helping everyone from Fortune 500 companies and venture-backed startups to individuals navigating real-life legal situations. I bring an high degree of emotional intelligence to every matter, and am also certified as both a coach and as a counselor. My career started at Fenwick & West, one of Silicon Valley's top law firms, where I worked alongside names like Google, Airbnb, Kleiner Perkins, and Sequoia Capital. From there I moved in - house at companies like Cloudflare, Autodesk, and Enphase - which gave me a practical, business-minded perspective that I bring to every client, no matter the size of the matter. Today I work with businesses and individuals alike. On the business side, that means commercial contracts, leases, startup corporate work, and serving as a fractional general counsel for companies that need a trusted legal partner without the overhead. On the personal side, I help individuals with employment matters, disputes, demand letters, contract review, and the kind of everyday legal situations where you just need someone knowledgeable in your corner. I'm direct, responsive, and I speak plain English — not legalese. Whether you're a founder closing your first deal or an individual facing a situation you've never navigated before, I'll give you the same level of attention and care.

I graduated from Yale University magna cum laude, served as a Fulbright Scholar in Italy and attended UC Berkeley School of Law. In 2023, I was named a "Legal Visionary" by the Los Angeles Times. I have broad experience in corporate transactions and in serving as outside general counsel to clients. I started my legal career in Silicon Valley and Hong Kong working on large equity and debt financings and matters for private wealth clients. After returning home to Los Angeles, I advised startup companies with formations, acquisitions and day-to-day matters such as sales contracts and licensing. More recently, I have focused on data, IT and SaaS contracts for both providers and customers. My clients include NASDAQ-listed companies, a top ranked children’s hospital and local startups.

I began my career at "big law" firms, worked in-house for 14 years, and now have my own practice, providing big law quality at small firm rates. My practice focuses on strategic and commercial transactions, including M&A, preferred stock and common stock offerings, asset purchases and sales, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, stock option plans, master services agreements and SOWs, software development and license agreements, SaaS agreements, NDAs, employment and consulting agreements. I also manage corporate governance, advise boards and executives, and act as outside general counsel. I represent clients across the country and around the world.

A corporate and commercial litigation attorney with transactional and civil litigation experience including corporate and finance transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, commercial contracts, bankruptcy, restructuring, international business transactions, general counsel services, real estate litigation, partnership, joint venture and contract disputes. Additional background skills and experience include investment banking, financial analysis, and management consulting. Sectors covered include technology, media, healthcare, franchises, small to medium enterprises, investment funds, and international business.

Clear, strategic legal guidance when you need it most—whether you're planning ahead or defending a position. Legal challenges shouldn't feel confusing or overwhelming. Whether you're building an estate plan, structuring a business, or navigating a dispute, my practice is built on clarity, care, and practical strategy. I work with clients who want real solutions—not just paperwork—through planning and advice that truly fits their goals, families, and businesses. Planning & Structure I focus on estate planning, asset protection, and business succession, helping individuals and entrepreneurs organize their assets, reduce risk, and prepare for every stage of life. Whether you're setting up your first living trust, shielding your business from liability, or updating an existing estate plan, you'll receive clear guidance, fixed-fee pricing, and responsive support from start to finish. Each plan I design is tailored to your real-world priorities: preserving wealth, avoiding unnecessary taxes and probate, and ensuring the people you love are protected when it matters most. I also focus on general business matters outlined below. Disputes & Defense When legal conflicts arise—disputed contracts, demand letters, settlement negotiations, or litigation decisions—I provide realistic risk assessment and strategic guidance. I help clients understand their actual exposure (not just best-case scenarios), identify leverage points, and navigate toward efficient resolution. If you're facing a legal claim or need to evaluate your position before responding, I can walk you through the realistic options and their costs. Services: Estate Planning & Asset Protection --Simple wills and powers of attorney --Living trusts for small estates --Buy-sell agreements for family businesses Business Formation & Agreements --LLC or S-Corp formation filings --Operating Agreements / Shareholder Agreements --Founder or Investor Agreements --Bylaws and Minutes templates --Registered agent setup guidance Contracts & Commercial Matters --Service Agreements (consulting, marketing, software, design, etc.) --Independent Contractor Agreements --Employment contracts and offer letters --Non-compete, non-solicitation, or confidentiality agreements --Employee handbooks or HR policy updates --Termination or severance agreements --NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) --Partnership or Joint Venture Agreements --Sales or Vendor Contracts --Licensing or IP Agreements Terms and conditions SaaS Platforms --Terms of Service --Privacy Policy --Independent Contractor Agreements --Customer/User Agreements --Liability Waivers --Cancellation & Refund Policy --Non-Solicitation Clauses --Marketplace compliance documents Real Estate --Commercial lease drafting or review --Residential lease review --Purchase & sale agreements --Short-term rental (Airbnb) contracts --Property management agreements Professional Approach: I leverage modern legal research and writing technologies—including AI-assisted tools—to enhance the quality, speed, and clarity of my analysis. Like many legal professionals today, I use these tools to organize research, improve communication, and catch errors. On research tools: case law and statutory verification runs through a vLex/Fastcase subscription, and drafting and first-pass review is AI-assisted. Every analysis I provide is thoroughly reviewed and reflects my independent professional judgment as a licensed attorney. AI is a tool that supports my work; it does not replace it.

LeMont leads a corporate and transactional practice with a focus on delivering practical, business-oriented legal solutions. His practice spans corporate law, commercial transactions, and real estate matters, advising clients through entity formation, governance, contract negotiation, acquisitions, and complex deal structuring. In the corporate and transactional space, LeMont counsels closely held businesses, startups, and growth-stage companies on formation strategy, operating agreements, shareholder arrangements, and day-to-day commercial contracting. He is known for structuring deals in a way that balances legal protection with operational flexibility, ensuring that agreements are both enforceable and commercially workable. His real estate practice includes representing clients in residential and commercial transactions, including purchases, sales, leasing arrangements, and hybrid structures such as rent-to-own and option-to-purchase agreements. He regularly works with clients to navigate deal risk, clarify ownership timelines, and document transactions to minimize future disputes.

Richard "Rick" Mortensen has practiced law continuously in Utah since 2006. For most of that time, he worked in-house, including stints at two international mining companies, two direct selling/MLM companies, a large ecommerce retailer, and an accounting/fintech firm. He also has extensive litigation experience, having represented plaintiffs and defendants in every stage of litigation, including jury trials and appeals. His current role is as a fractional general counsel for businesses of all sizes.

I am a New York-admitted securities attorney and regulatory compliance professional with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including broker-dealers, investment advisers, private funds, and fintech businesses. My background includes legal, regulatory, and compliance leadership roles, including service as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of an SEC-registered investment adviser. I advise clients on securities regulation, private offerings, private fund formation, investment management, broker-dealer and investment adviser regulation, AML, privacy, and related commercial and regulatory matters. My experience includes advising on private offerings under Regulation D with Regulation S considerations, as well as fundraising alternatives under Regulation A and Regulation CF, and drafting and reviewing offering documents, fund documentation, compliance programs, and related agreements. I have extensive experience working with SEC, FINRA, and NFA regulatory frameworks and helping clients navigate complex legal, regulatory, and business challenges. My practice includes: • Broker-dealer and RIA registration, compliance, and regulatory matters • Private fund formation (PPMs, LPAs, operating agreements, subscription documents) • Regulation D, Regulation S, Regulation A, and Regulation CF offerings • Regulatory filings (ADV, BD, U4, U5, 13D, 13G, 13F, Form 4, etc.) • Regulatory examinations, inquiries, investigations, and remediation • Compliance manuals, WSPs, Codes of Ethics, AML programs, and risk assessments • Marketing and advertising compliance reviews • Investment management agreements, advisory agreements, subscription agreements, side letters, and related documents • Commercial agreements, NDAs, service agreements, and privacy policies • Fintech, digital asset, MSB, and money transmission considerations and related regulatory matters I am admitted to practice in New York and hold the CAMS (AML), CIPP/US (privacy), and CCEP (compliance and ethics) certifications.

Offering support services to in-house legal departments and small law firms.

Fractional general counsel and transactional attorney with 25 years of experience serving small and mid-size businesses. Particular depth in AEC, environmental consulting, and professional services industries. Commercial contracts, business formations, corporate governance, M&A support, NDAs, and commercial leases. Admitted in New York and Colorado.

Ryan Darby is a California attorney and commercial real estate developer with more than a decade of civil litigation experience. From 2010 through 2024, he operated the Law Office of Ryan T. Darby. His practice initially focused on landlord-tenant matters and later shifted to defamation defense and First Amendment litigation, including anti-SLAPP motion practice. He served as co-counsel for the plaintiff-appellant in a published Ninth Circuit opinion that reversed the dismissal of First Amendment claims and established precedent protecting speech and press rights against retaliatory government action. Ryan founded Quintessential Capital in 2019 to pursue multifamily acquisitions and later shifted the company’s focus to flex-industrial development. He has since completed a ground-up flex-industrial project in Sparks, Nevada. As a real estate principal, he has negotiated letters of intent, purchase agreements, a loan agreement and related extension, and listing agreements. His legal experience includes drafting and negotiating leases, settlement agreements, and releases, and advising clients on contract disputes. Ryan earned his J.D. from Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law, where he served as a Senior Staff Editor of the Chapman Law Review. His current practice focuses on real estate and lease agreements, settlements and releases, and contract-related disputes. His experience as both counsel and client helps him distinguish between theoretical concerns and risks that matter in practice. Ryan lives in San Diego with his wife, young son, dog, and cat.