The Founder's Legal Playbook
The essential legal guide for startup founders. Six chapters covering entity selection, contracts, IP protection, fundraising documents, hiring, and exit preparation — written by a practicing attorney.
A Legal Roadmap Built for Founders
Starting a company is exhilarating — but legal missteps in the early stages can cost you thousands later, or worse, kill your startup entirely.
The Founder's Legal Playbook breaks down the legal concepts every founder needs to understand, in plain language, without the billable-hour price tag. Whether you are incorporating your first company, signing your first customer contract, or preparing for a fundraise, this book gives you the knowledge to make informed decisions.
Who this is for:
- First-time founders navigating legal decisions for the first time
- Technical founders who want to understand the legal side of their business
- Solo founders who cannot yet afford full-time legal counsel
- Startup operators responsible for contracts, hiring, or fundraising
Written by a practicing attorney who works with startups daily — not a content marketer summarizing blog posts.
Sample Chapter
From Chapter 2: Contract Essentials
"Every contract tells a story about risk. The question isn't whether you'll ever face a dispute — it's whether your contract protects you when it happens."
Most founders sign contracts without understanding three critical clauses that determine what happens when things go wrong:
- Limitation of Liability — Caps your financial exposure. Without it, a single bad project could threaten your entire company.
- Indemnification — Determines who pays when third-party claims arise. The difference between a well-drafted and poorly-drafted indemnity clause can be six figures.
- Termination Rights — How either party can exit the relationship. Getting locked into a bad contract with no exit is one of the most common startup mistakes.
The full chapter covers twelve essential clauses with real-world examples and negotiation strategies you can use immediately.
