Founder guides, in plain English.
Short, practical guides to the legal questions that come up from formation to exit — each linked to the statutes and official agency pages behind it.
LLC vs. Corporation in California: How to Choose
A plain-English comparison of California LLCs and corporations: liability, taxes, the $800 minimum tax, state filings, governance, and raising money.
Read the guide FormationHow to Form an LLC in California, Step by Step
The steps to form a California LLC: name, Articles of Organization ($70), operating agreement, EIN, Statement of Information, and the $800 annual tax.
Read the guide FoundersFounder Agreements: The Basics Every Co-Founder Should Know
What a founder agreement covers — equity splits, vesting, IP assignment, roles, and what happens when a founder leaves — and why it's easier to agree now.
Read the guide FinancingSAFE vs. Convertible Note: What Founders Should Know
How SAFEs and convertible notes work, the key terms (valuation cap, discount, interest, maturity), and the securities filings that come with raising money.
Read the guide Founders83(b) Election Basics: The 30-Day Deadline Founders Can't Miss
What a Section 83(b) election is, why founders file it, the strict 30-day deadline, how to file Form 15620, and what can go wrong.
Read the guide Contracts10 Contract Clauses to Read Before You Sign
The contract terms that decide who carries the risk — liability caps, indemnities, IP, termination, non-competes, attorney's fees — with California-specific notes.
Read the guide TransactionsAsset Sale vs. Stock Sale: Basics for Buyers and Sellers
How asset sales and stock (or membership interest) sales differ on liabilities, taxes, consents, and California successor liability for sales tax.
Read the guide HiringIndependent Contractor vs. Employee in California: The ABC Test
How California's ABC test (AB 5, Labor Code § 2775) decides worker classification, the main exemptions, penalties for willful misclassification, and practical steps.
Read the guideGuides are general information, not legal advice.
The Startup Legal Checklist.
Formation to exit on a few pages: the documents, filings, and deadlines to have in place at each stage of the business.
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