Legal representation and consultation from venture capital law firms can help you grow your business. Venture capital attorneys specialize in helping private equity firms and investors structure and negotiate a variety of investments that will positively affect their bottom line.
While retaining a venture capital attorney can be expensive, counsel from an experienced venture capitalist lawyer can be invaluable. Consider the following tips to help you find venture capital legal services that align with your business and budgetary objectives:
1. Ensure venture capital attorney rates are within your budget.
2. Evaluate services offered by VC law firms.
3. Retain an attorney knowledgeable about venture capital laws.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Obtain fee quotes from several venture capital law firms
There are a variety of local, national and global large and small venture capital law firms from which to choose. Be sure to compare billing rates and alternative fee arrangements, venture capital attorney experience and the type of venture capital legal services offered. While rates are important, finding a law firm venture capital investors recommend as experienced ranks high on the list when choosing a venture capitalist lawyer.
I recommend: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is an experienced venture capital law firm that has helped a broad range of companies expand their businesses.
Heller Ehrman Venture Law Group counsels businesses on a broad range of venture capital services.
Get the venture capital legal services you need
Venture capital law firms offer a broad range of services from fund formation to documenting and structuring investments. Think about your business and determine the venture capital legal services that are most beneficial for your business operations.
I recommend: Review
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for a listing of some of the top venture capital attorneys in the country.
Foley & Lardner bring a sophisticated and efficient approach to structuring funds and their investments.
Contract with a venture capital law firm
After researching firm offerings, decide on a lawyer venture capital investors have used for similar business operations and legal needs as your company. Also, be sure that the fee arrangement is clearly outlined and that the attorney has no conflicts in representing your business.
I recommend: Godfrey & Kahn regularly advises investors on the creation and negotiation of a variety of investments.
Gallagher, Callahan and Gartrell counsels businesses on fund formation as well as documenting and structuring investments.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Be sure to always ask a venture capital attorney for proof of his venture capital experience and overall success rate in advising companies similar to yours. It is also a good idea to get venture capital law firm and attorney referrals from friends and business associates who have successfully expanded their businesses as a result of advice from the particular venture capital attorney or law firm.
The official source of Venture Capital Law Firms is
the Venture Capital Law Firms page at Business.com
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