Startup Lawyers for Oregon

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Meet some of our Oregon Startup Lawyers

Jason P. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Jason
5.0 (5)
Member Since:
December 1, 2022

Jason P.

Business Lawyer
Free Consultation
Portland, OR
10 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR WA
Lewis & Clark Law School

Jason is a self-starting, go-getting lawyer who takes a pragmatic approach to helping his clients. He co-founded Fortify Law because he was not satisfied with the traditional approach to providing legal services. He firmly believes that legal costs should be predictable, transparent and value-driven. Jason’s entrepreneurial mindset enables him to better understand his clients’ needs. His first taste of entrepreneurship came from an early age when he helped manage his family’s small free range cattle farm. Every morning, before school, he would deliver hay to a herd of 50 hungry cows. In addition, he was responsible for sweeping "the shop" at his parent's 40-employee HVAC business. Before becoming a lawyer, he clerked at the Lewis & Clark Small Business Legal Clinic where he handled a diverse range of legal issues including establishing new businesses, registering trademarks, and drafting contracts. He also spent time working with the in-house team at adidas® where, among other things, he reviewed and negotiated complex agreements and created training materials for employees. He also previously worked with Meriwether Group, a Portland-based business consulting firm focused on accelerating the growth of disruptive consumer brands and facilitating founder exits. These experiences have enabled Jason to not only understand the unique legal hurdles that can threaten a business, but also help position them for growth. Jason's practice focuses on Business and Intellectual Property Law, including: ​ -Reviewing and negotiating contracts -Resolving internal corporate disputes -Creating employment and HR policies -Registering and protecting intellectual property -Forming new businesses and subsidiaries -Facilitating Business mergers, acquisitions, and exit strategies -Conducting international business transactions ​​ In his free time, Jason is an adventure junkie and gear-head. He especially enjoys backpacking, kayaking, and snowboarding. He is also a technology enthusiast, craft beer connoisseur, and avid soccer player.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Very nice! Great on responding back and being available! Recommend 100% !"

Curt B. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
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5.0 (4)
Member Since:
March 25, 2023

Curt B.

Managing Partner
Free Consultation
Los Angeles, California
12 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR FL, MI, TX, WA
UCLA School of Law

Curt Brown has experience advising clients on a variety of franchising, business litigation, transactional, and securities law matters. Mr. Brown's accolades include: - Super Lawyers Rising Star - California Lawyer of the Year by The Daily Journal - Pro Bono Attorney of the Year the USC Public Interest Law Fund Curt started his legal career in the Los Angeles office of the prestigious firm of Irell & Manella LLP, where his practice focused on a wide variety of complex civil litigation matters, including securities litigation, antitrust, trademark, bankruptcy, and class action defense. Mr. Brown also has experience advising mergers and acquisitions and international companies concerning cyber liability and class action defense. He is admitted in California, Florida, D.C., Washington, Illinois, Colorado, and Michigan.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"I was very impressed with the responsiveness and knowledge brought to my situation."

Jim B. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Jim
5.0 (1)
Member Since:
September 4, 2024

Jim B.

Managing Partner, Business Lawyer
Free Consultation
Portland, Oregon
24 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR
Southern Illinois University

Since 2002, when I first received my law license and began practicing in criminal litigation, I have dedicated myself to providing competent and impassioned legal representation to my clients. Transitioning into business and intellectual property law and serving the Oregon community under the banner of INTELLEQUITY since 2016, I embarked on a mission to offer an unparalleled level of personalized legal guidance that empowers my clients through understanding, support, and legal mastery. As a seasoned attorney, I recognize that behind every case is a person with a distinct set of emotions, aspirations, and challenges. This is why my approach to legal services is not just about cases and statutes; it's about people and their lives. Whether it's navigating the intricacies of business law or safeguarding your intellectual property, I'm here to provide more than just professional counsel—I offer a compassionate, personalized approach to every case. This means keeping you well-informed at every step, empowering you with in-depth understanding, and steering you towards decisions that are legally sound and, more importantly, right for you.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Great person to work with. He helped gain a better understanding of my own business."

Alexander M. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
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5.0 (2)
Member Since:
July 23, 2025

Alexander M.

Lead Attorney
Free Consultation
Tampa, Florida
3 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR FL
Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Broad area practice including Business (domestic & international), IP, Employment, Family Law, Administrative, etc. My focus is a direct, no-BS approach with fast turn around times on completed work.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Alexander delivered fast, thorough, and practical legal guidance. He identified 22 issues with my MSA, provided a clear MSO/PC structure opinion, and mapped out insurance requirements for both entities — all within 24 hours. Highly recommend for any healthcare startup needing Florida specific legal expertise."

Grace C. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Grace
5.0 (1)
Member Since:
May 12, 2026

Grace C.

Intellectual Property & Transactions Attorney | SaaS, Licensing, NDAs, Brand Protection & AI Contracts
Free Consultation
Issaquah, WA
6 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR WA
Seattle University School of Law

I’m Grace E. Carlson, an intellectual property & transactional attorney, founder of aTMospheric IP, LLC, with over 6 years of combined law firm and in-house experience. I help businesses, startups, creators, and entrepreneurs draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts while protecting their brands and innovations. My expertise includes SaaS agreements, MSAs, NDAs, licensing contracts, vendor and partnership agreements, as well as comprehensive trademark strategy, copyright matters, AI-related IP issues, and technology transactions. I’ve supported global companies including Robinhood, Iron Mountain, and Microsoft, and provided flexible in-house counsel through Axiom Law across fintech, SaaS, consumer goods, and data center industries. Known for translating complex legal issues into clear, practical solutions, I focus on delivering contracts that reduce risk, support go-to-market strategies, and scale with your business. Whether you need a custom SaaS agreement, trademark-integrated contracts, or AI compliance review, I provide responsive, business-minded counsel. Bar Admissions: Washington (2020) & Oregon (2021) J.D., Seattle University School of Law Let’s get your contracts and IP protections done right — efficiently and effectively.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Grace was very easy to work with on this project. Extremely knowledgeable about the topic and gave great advice. Grace gave us a product that we are able to implement quickly! Thank you for your hard work!"

Jessica M. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Jessica
4.8 (4)
Member Since:
June 24, 2023

Jessica M.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Portland, Oregon
26 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR
Lewis and Clark

Jessica Molligan is an attorney with twenty years of experience in family law, bankruptcy, and litigation.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Jessica was great to work with. We got a quick cliam deed done and it was an easy process to go through with her. Highly reccomend hiring her for any of your needs."

Shanon G. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Shanon
Member Since:
June 28, 2023

Shanon G.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Lake Oswego, Oregon
25 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR ID
Oklahoma City University Law School

Have experience in contract, family law, municipality work, criminal defense, litigation, some wills and estates as well. Been practicing law for over 22 years.

McCoy S. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
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Member Since:
December 4, 2023

McCoy S.

Founding Attorney
Free Consultation
Portland, Oregon
35 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR CA, NY, WA
University of Virginia

P. McCoy Smith is the Founding Attorney at Lex Pan Law LLC, a full-service technology and intellectual property law firm based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A and Opsequio LLC, an open source compliance consultancy. Prior to his current position, he spent 20 years in the legal department of a Fortune 50 multinational technology company as a business unit intellectual property specialist; among his duties was setting up the free & open source legal function and policies for that company. He preceded his in-house experience with 8 years in private practice in a large New York City-based boutique intellectual property law firm, working simultaneously as a U.S. patent litigator and U.S. patent prosecutor. He was also a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office prior to attending law school. He is licensed to practice law in Oregon, California & New York and to prosecute patent applications in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office; he is also a registered Trademark and Patent Agent with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. He has degrees from Colorado State University (Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, with honors), Johns Hopkins University (Masters of Liberal Arts) and the University of Virginia (Juris Doctor). While in private practice, and continuing into his in-house career, he taught portions of the U.S. patent bar exam for a long-standing and well-known patent bar exam preparation course, and from 2014-2020 was on the editorial board of the Journal of Open Law, Technology & Society (JOLTS), and starting in 2023 will be on the editorial board of the American Intellectual Property Law Quarterly Journal (AIPLAQJ). He is the author or co-author of chapters on open source and copyright and patents in “Open Source Law, Policy & Practice” (2022, Oxford University Press). He lectures frequently around the world on free and open source issues as well as other intellectual property topics.

Alexander C. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Alexander
Member Since:
August 23, 2025

Alexander C.

CEO
Free Consultation
Tampa, Florida
6 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR KY, MD, NE, SD
The George Washington University Law School

I am a solo practitioner that runs my own legal practice. I am currently licensed in 16 states and I'm working to expand that reach.

Neil R. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Neil
Member Since:
January 29, 2026

Neil R.

Partner/Shareholder
Free Consultation
Hood River, OR
39 Yrs Experience
Licensed in OR CA, WA
University of Pennyslvania (JD)

Neil Rust is a transactional attorney with almost four decades of experience ranging across a broad range of fields, including M&A, finance, structured finance, VC and general corporate. Before moving to Oregon, Mr. Rust was a partner at the Los Angeles office of an international law for 26 years and the Century City office of a national law firm for 5 years. During his big firm tenure, Neil Rust gathered experience across multiple industries and enjoys counselling clients as much as drafting and negotiating.

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Meet some of our other Startup Lawyers

Dimitry K. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Dimitry
5.0 (1)
Member Since:
November 14, 2023

Dimitry K.

Managing Partner
Free Consultation
Philadelphia
18 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NJ, PA
Rutgers School of Law-Camden

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Dimitry Alexander Kaplun had been involved with many industries and professions, and helped manage, create, and advise a wide range of businesses around the world. While at Drexel University as a computer science major, he became an NASD licensed representative and was employed by Fortune 100 insurance companies, including Prudential, AIG, and NY Life, first specializing in financial investments for life and annuity products, and then expanding his expertise to mutual finds, stocks, environmental insurance, and real property. Due to his technical expertise and a clear understanding of business rules, he was soon brought on board to help assist those companies with coding their interface for the Y2K switch. Soon after switching his major to business, Mr. Kaplun worked for a telecommunication service company first in quality assurance and then as a database programmer and developer, with sole and exclusive responsibilities for a multitude of warehouses located around the continental United States. Working on-site and from the company headquarters, he was responsible for streamlining processes for internal departments while fulfilling the quickly changing needs to the company clients, most notably Verizon Wireless. Mr. Kaplun opened his practice in 2008. Prior to starting his practice, he worked as a paralegal instructor for Prism Career Institute, creating the lesson plans for the whole program and focusing his instruction on substantive and procedural laws for general practitioners. Mr. Kaplun also worked as an associate for The Law Office of Keith Owen Campbell PC, focusing on Family and Matrimonial Law, and assisted the law firm of Jeffrey Neu and Associates in securities research as well as various contact and sales agreements, mainly online reseller agreements. He currently focuses his energy on representing individuals and companies in liability insulation, contracts and business agreements, and other legal concerns that crop up in the regular operation of doing business.

Muhammad Yar L. - Startup Lawyer in Oregon
View Muhammad Yar
5.0 (3)
Member Since:
November 16, 2023

Muhammad Yar L.

Technology Lawyer
Free Consultation
Pakistan
8 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NY
University of London

I am Muhammad Yar Lak, a New York-licensed technology attorney with extensive experience advising startups, founders, growing businesses, established companies (including Fortune 100 clients), and individuals on the legal matters that shape how they operate, grow, and protect what they have built. My practice covers business relationships, operational and contractual risk, and corporate structure, including the formation and structuring of LLCs and corporations. I hold a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and am admitted to practice in New York. I am also CIPP/US certified, reflecting my commitment to privacy and data as core concerns in modern business and technology law. I practice as a Senior Associate with Gogo & Moore, a technology-focused law firm with offices in Aspen, Atlanta, and New York. I have built my practice around the industries defining the next decade, including technology, fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital assets, and e-commerce, while also serving clients in healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, and entertainment. Wherever my clients are building, I am there. My approach is simple: good legal counsel should empower people, not slow them down. I work hard to understand what my clients are actually trying to accomplish and help them get there. If that sounds like the kind of lawyer you are looking for, I would be glad to connect.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Muhammad did great work very quickly and was responsive to my time needs at his own expense. I am grateful."

Startup Legal Questions and Answers

Startup

Vesting Agreement

Pennsylvania

Asked on Apr 4, 2022

Erin hope your having a great day! I am starting up my cold pressed juice company im bring in a co founder who's handling all branding and marketing I wan to give him some equity. looking for help with splitting equity and writing up a vesting agreement. thanks looking forward to hearing from you.

.

Ryan W.

Answered Apr 26, 2022

HI Erin. Congratulations on starting your cold pressed juice venture. That is exciting. I do have experience drafting agreements between founders and investors. Vesting agreements can be very flexible to meet the needs of the parties. They are very useful when a party is investing sweat equity in addition to or in place of cash. I am happy to discuss such agreements with you and how they relate to your particular venture.

Read 1 attorney answer>

Startup

Founders' Agreement

Texas

Asked on Sep 12, 2021

Signing Founders Agreement as non-us resident?

I am from Ecuador and I am going to sign a Founder's Agreement with a person from Texas. I want to know in detail what are things I must take into consideration before signing this agreement.

Don G.

Answered Sep 17, 2021

I'm assuming the Founders Agreement is an agreement establishing owners, managers and ownership percentages. You should focus on: Terms regarding when your interest in the company vests; How your shares will be valued in the case you want to leave or are terminated; It should include some type of waiver of individual liability for acts taken on behalf of the company; and Voting rights - If there is only one founder that has a large percentage of ownership (like 75%), you need to make sure the terms give your vote power. This can be accomplished by each founder having 1 equal vote. If the largest owner of the company owns less than 50% interest and there are 3 or more members, there's no real fear of one person making all of the decisions. I'm sure there are other items to consider as every such agreement is unique. Best of luck!

Read 2 attorney answers>

Startup

Cofounder Agreement

California

Asked on Jun 14, 2025

Is it necessary to have a co-founder agreement when starting a business?

I am in the process of starting a business with a co-founder, and we have discussed various aspects of our partnership such as equity distribution, roles and responsibilities, and decision-making authority. However, we are unsure if it is necessary to have a formal co-founder agreement in place to protect our interests and ensure a smooth working relationship. We want to understand the importance and potential benefits of having a legally binding agreement in order to make an informed decision.

Paul S.

Answered Jul 18, 2025

It's not necessary but it can be a really good idea. You'll want to address things like the equity split, vesting schedule, each cofounder's contributions (cash, IP, time, etc.), how much time each cofounder will be expected to spend (and if someone is starting out part-time, when they are expected to go full-time), and you may want to address consequences for failing to meet the required contributions and time - for example, company can claw back shares at original price and expel the cofounder.

Read 1 attorney answer>

Startup

Convertible Note

California

Asked on Jul 30, 2023

Convertible note vs. equity financing?

I am an entrepreneur and I am in the process of raising capital for my startup. I am considering both convertible note and equity financing options and am trying to decide which one is best suited for my company. I need to understand the key differences between the two options to make an informed decision.

Thaddeus W.

Answered Sep 8, 2023

Good question. Convertible notes (as well as SAFE's, discussed below) differ from equity in several respects. The most fundamental difference is that a convertible note is debt. A second major difference is that, although the note is debt, its terms include the noteholder's right to acquire an equity position in the future; if a certain event later occurs (defined in the note, but typically the sale of preferred stock to a future investor (e.g. a venture capital firm), but also a sale of the company can have a similar effect), this will trigger the note to convert into equity and the note is "satisfied" ... that is, the debt is extinguished when the note converts and the holder thereby becomes an equity holder (typically coming to own shares of preferred stock very similar to that issued to the future investors in that triggering event). These two differences are related to a third. A convertible note is often issued without a valuation of the company. For example, when a startup business has no operating history, it is impossible for the startup founders or the investor to decide what the company is worth. Equity cannot be issued for a fair market value (FMV), since there is no basis to determine what the FMV is. A convertible note resolves that by giving the investor (the note holder) the right to convert the note into equity later on, when another investor and the company can agree on a company valuation. In other words, the convertible note allows the company to "kick the can (of valuation) down the road" to be dealt with at another time. But, since a convertible note is debt, is has a repayment provision, and normally carries interest. This means that the note is carried on the company's balance sheet as debt, and presents the company with the future obligation to repay the note if a conversion event has not happened before the note's maturity date. So, SAFE's are often used, especially now that they have become so familiar to investors. (SAFE stands for Simple Agreement for Future Equity). Essentially, as SAFE is a convertible note without the debt features. A SAFE carries no interest and does not have to be repaid. The investor in a SAFE will normally be sophisticated and able to assess the chances the company will do well enough for a conversion event (the issuance of preferred stock, or a sale of the company) to result in the investor's SAFE converting, and thus give the investor comfort that would otherwise be lacking in an instrument that has no repayment obligation. Like a convertible note, a SAFE kicks the can of valuation down the road, where a valuation can later be determined by the company and a future investor. Founders should exercise caution in issuing convertible notes or SAFE's. Among other reasons, founders commonly do not appreciate the impact that convertible notes or SAFE's can have on the founders' own ownership. Convertible notes and SAFE's often include a feature called a "valuation cap." This can result in surprising dilution, as well as the issuance of equity to the converting note or SAFE holder at what is effectively a very low price per share, costing the company far more than the founders may have expected. Also, notes and SAFE's with very similar, but different, terms can result in a complicated capitalization table, making negotiations with venture capital firms later on more difficult, an equity transaction more complex, and thus the process more time-consuming and (therefore) more expensive.

Read 1 attorney answer>

Startup

Convertible Note

New York

Asked on Mar 30, 2021

Do startups use convertible notes?

I am working to figure out what I should use for a group of investors I am speaking to about my startup. We're a technology company that is very early on. We want to raise a bit of money so we can further develop our software and pay the founders.

Ramsey T.

Answered Mar 30, 2021

Start-ups do raise capital through the use of Convertible Notes. Convertible Notes are starting to fade as the preferred sort of convertible instrument for start-ups and as SAFES become more prevalent. Convertible Notes are still quite common in more "traditional" start-up industries, such as those that involve real estate, manufacturing and other legacy industries.

Read 1 attorney answer>
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