Startup Lawyers for Rhode Island

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Meet some of our Rhode Island Startup Lawyers

Moss S. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Moss
5.0 (3)
Member Since:
November 17, 2021

Moss S.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Boca Raton, FL
38 Yrs Experience
Licensed in RI FL, MA
Suffolk Law School

Over 30 years of experience practicing commercial real estate and complex business litigation law.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Moss S was responsive and attentive to my needs and completed the task ahead of time and within budget"

Elizabeth W. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Elizabeth
5.0 (9)
Member Since:
December 11, 2021

Elizabeth W.

Legal Counsel
Free Consultation
Bozeman, MT
9 Yrs Experience
Licensed in RI MA
Suffolk University Law School

Liz is an experienced insurance professional, having worked with carriers and brokers for over 10 years. She can review or draft a variety of commercial agreements and is here to help your business. Specialties include: Master Service Agreements, business process outsourcing, marketing and partnership agreements, broker agreements, business associate agreements, and NDAs.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Liz was very helpful and thoughtful through the whole process. She answered all of my questions along the way."

Nicholas M. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Nicholas
5.0 (46)
Member Since:
June 1, 2023

Nicholas M.

President/Attorney
Free Consultation
Providence, Rhode Island
16 Yrs Experience
Licensed in RI CT, ME, NC, NH
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law

Nicholas Matlach is a cybersecurity expert (CISSP) and an attorney who is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed. He is a client-focused professional who has a deep understanding of the challenges that small businesses face in the digital age. He also provides legal counsel to small businesses on a variety of issues, including formation, intellectual property, contracts, and employment law.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Enjoyed his demeanor. Professional yet down to earth. The document created for me was very explicit and easy to read. I would recommend :)"

Paul M. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Paul
5.0 (29)
Member Since:
October 25, 2023

Paul M.

Ceo
Free Consultation
Providence, RI
21 Yrs Experience
Licensed in RI LA, MA
Loyola New Orleans

Transactional attorney and corporate in house counsel for 15 years. Draft all types of contracts and employment agreements.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Paul is a true professional and I would absolutely recommend him. He was communicative, expeditious with his updates, and ultimately helped me secure a favorable FDD after several rounds of negotiation."

David W. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View David
Member Since:
March 8, 2025

David W.

Business Lawyer
Free Consultation
Providence, RI
6 Yrs Experience
Licensed in RI MA
Quinnipiac University School of Law

David has experience assisting individuals, startups, mid-sized, and publicly traded companies with various business, corporate, and real estate matters including residential and commercial real estate sales, acquisitions, financing and leasing; contract drafting and negotiation; regulatory compliance; and business acquisition, sale, formation, and dissolution.

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Meet some of our other Startup Lawyers

Lolitha M. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Lolitha
5.0 (3)
Member Since:
October 27, 2021

Lolitha M.

Managing Prinicipal
Free Consultation
Homewood, IL
5 Yrs Experience
Licensed in AL, MO
University of Illinois at Chicago Law School

Small firm offering business consultation and contract review services.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Did great. She was responsive even after hours, will use again!!!"

Scott S. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Scott
5.0 (69)
Member Since:
October 27, 2021

Scott S.

Attorney
Free Consultation
New York, NY
19 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NY
Benjamin Cardozo School of Law

I specialize in business law and contracts, with an emphasis on commercial transactions and negotiations, document drafting and review, employment, business formation, e-commerce, technology, healthcare, privacy, commercial real estate, data security and compliance. Specifically, I've drafted, reviewed and/or negotiated thousands of MSA's, NDA's, TOS', SAAS, sales, service, managed services, referral, reseller, royalty, finder’s fee, employment, contractor, consulting, advertising, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, management, artist, author, agency, photography, rental, lease, vendor, partnership, website, platform, application, privacy, non-compete, non-circumvent, confidentiality, IP ownership and licensing agreements so I'm very familiar with these types of documents. Practicing law since 2006, I worked in-house before starting my own solo practitioner law firm in 2011. I've worked with individuals and start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and every type of entity in between, always providing quality legal work that fits the exact needs of the person and/or business. I’m a graduate of the Benjamin Cardozo Law School and also have an English degree from Penn.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"The language of the commercial lease i was negotiating was much more favorable in terms of how the Lessor was expected to conduct their end of business regarding "Additional Charges" requiring itemization and examples of comparable rates where increases may occur."

Gamal H. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Gamal
5.0 (1)
Member Since:
October 31, 2021

Gamal H.

Attorney
Free Consultation
New York City
28 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NY
New York Law School

I am a commercial contracts attorney with twenty years of experience. I have represented major corporate clients including Amazon, Marvel, and Viacom as well as independent entertainment professionals and technology startups.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Gamal has been a pleasure to work with. This book is the first in a 4-book series and I will certainly retain him for all of them should the publisher wish to exercise that option. Well done!"

Oscar B. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Oscar
Member Since:
October 28, 2021

Oscar B.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Saint Petersburg, FL
24 Yrs Experience
Licensed in FL
Stetson University, College of Law

Oscar is a St. Petersburg native. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Stetson University, College of Law. A former US Army Judge Advocate, Oscar has more than 20 years of experience in Estate Planning, Real Estate, Small Business, Probate, and Asset Protection law. A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, and a second-generation Gator, he received a B.A. from the University of Florida and a J.D. from Stetson University’s College of Law. Oscar began working in real estate sales in 1994 prior to attending law school. He continued in real estate, small business law, and Asset Protection as an associate attorney with the firm on Bush, Ross, Gardner, Warren, & Rudy in 2002 before leaving to open his own practice. Oscar also held the position of Sales & Marketing Director for Ballast Point Homes separately from his law practice. He is also a licensed real estate broker and owner of a boutique real estate brokerage. As a captain in the US Army JAG Corps, he served as a Judge Advocate in the 3rd Infantry Division and then as Chief of Client Services, Schweinfurt, Germany, and Chief of Criminal Justice for the 200th MP Command, Ft. Meade, Maryland. He is a certified VA attorney representative and an active member of VARep, an organization of real estate and legal professionals dedicated to representing and educating veterans. Oscar focuses his practice on real small business and asset protection law.

Rachael D. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Rachael
Member Since:
October 28, 2021

Rachael D.

Attorney
Free Consultation
New York
14 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NY
Touro Law

We help simplify every transaction and provide a superior level of customer service to create long lasting and trusted relationships with our clients. Our goal is to guide our clients with practical and zealous legal representation and eliminate the difficult nature of any legal transaction.

Yoann E. A. L. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Yoann E. A.
Member Since:
October 29, 2021

Yoann E. A. L.

Attorney
Free Consultation
California
7 Yrs Experience
Licensed in CA
Concord Law School at Purdue University Global

For over 15 years, I accumulated both hands-on technical and business experience as an IT engineer and entrepreneur, enabling me to understand your challenges probably better than anyone else on the legal market! My California-based full-online practice focuses on: - Intellectual Property (Copyright / Trademarks) - Privacy / Data Protection - Commercial matters (e.g. service contracts) - Corporate (e.g. incorporation, restructuring)

Melanie C. - Startup Lawyer in Rhode Island
View Melanie
Member Since:
October 31, 2021

Melanie C.

Business & Intellectual Property Attorney
Free Consultation
NY/NJ
22 Yrs Experience
Licensed in NJ, NY
Emory University School of Law

Melanie Cunningham specializes in helping entrepreneurs remain creative and expansive by establishing the foundation of their business and protecting and maximizing their intellectual property. It’s her belief that entrepreneurs and micro and small business owners play a critical role in our communities, which propelled Melanie to return to private practice after more than a decade working for global financial institutions. Melanie’s practice is dedicated to delivering excellent legal support and protection to this vital, but an often underserved, community. Melanie credits her business training and the skills developed as a senior compliance officer with enabling her to help small business owners have a legally compliant business, while proactively advising clients during the growth process. She’s helped diverse entrepreneurs do business in a way that focuses more on collaboration than competition. Melanie has counseled small business owners in determining what is protection worthy (helping them obtain trademarks and copyrights) and making contact on their behalf in the case of infringement.

Startup Legal Questions and Answers

Contracts

Equity Agreement

Pennsylvania

Asked on Jan 13, 2022

How much equity should investors get?

Hi there, I'm seeking counsel for a startup/small business with two initial investors. These investors have established auto repair businesses and will use those businesses as leverage to support a $500k loan that will be used to initially fund the business. Revenues from those businesses will be used to pay the loan until the business can pay for them. I will be providing all sweat equity. The investors above will have no involvement in the day-to-day (as they run their own businesses). One investor may provide connections to potential clients and if necessary, an additional investor.

Amy Sue L.

Answered Jan 14, 2022

This is really a business question, as much as it is a legal question - although lawyers can certainly help you structure and document it once answered. That said, I think you're likely to find a spectrum of answers - on one end of the spectrum, there are 3 investors with equal shares (each having 1/3 of the equity - 2 of which receive their percentage in consideration for $ investments, while you receive yours for your efforts in running the business day-to-day- in this scenario, everyone and everything they bring to the table is equally valued); on the other end of the spectrum, there are 2 investors with equal or otherwise proportionate shares (each having 1/2 of the equity - or some other percentages that total to 100% - in consideration for their respective $ investments, which may differ depending on the value of the businesses underlying the loans), and you are considered an employee of the business (not an investor), who will receive compensation for running the business- presumably a salary and possibly including incentives based on the success of the business; and of course, there are some variations that could impact any or all parties in the middle of the spectrum. I suggest that you have a conversation with your potential partners to learn how each party views the value being brought to the enterprise by the others and begin the negotiation from there. Note also that this deal sounds simple in theory but may become a little complicated due to the funding mechanism being used on the back end.

Read 2 attorney answers>

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>

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

LLC

Texas

Asked on May 24, 2023

LLC tax advantages?

I recently started a small business and am considering forming a limited liability company (LLC). I understand that LLCs provide certain protections for business owners, but I am not clear on the tax advantages of an LLC. I would like to know what kind of tax benefits I could expect if I form an LLC.

Jimmy V.

Answered May 30, 2023

LLCs are "pass-through" entities for tax purposes. In other words, there is no income tax due on the company level. The distributions "pass through" to you and you report them on your personal tax return. This prevents double taxation.

Read 1 attorney answer>

Startup

Founders' Agreement

Alabama

Asked on Aug 5, 2021

How to issue stock to co-founder?

I have some questions about granting stock to co-founder below. Thank you for answering my questions. 1. Company A plans to offer stock options (1000 shares) to employees. These stock options come with a vesting plan. Before the stock options vest, who are holding the stocks (1000 shares)? Or the stocks are to be issued only if the employees decide to exercise? 2. Vesting stock for co-founders: Mr. A founds a company and he invites Mr. B to join as a co-founder. Mr. B tells Mr. A that he wants to put in money as well and therefore wants to have 30% of the company. Mr. A, after reading a lot of information on Contractscounsel.com, thinks that he should give Mr. B vesting stock options rather than outright stocks, as that would help him help him avoid possible problems if Mr. B decides to leave the company after several months. What is the best way for Mr. A to handle this situation while keeping Mr. B interested?

Jane C.

Answered Aug 5, 2021

2. The best way for Mr. A to address his concerns and keep Mr. B interested is by offering him restricted stock that vests over time. Mr. B will receive dividends and have the right to vote; however, the Company can buy the unvested shares back if Mr. B decides to leave the Company before a certain period of time. Disclaimer - This information is provided for general informational purposes only. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.

Read 1 attorney answer>
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