Agree on the hard things while it's easy.
Equity splits, vesting, decision-making, and what happens when someone leaves — written down while everyone still agrees.
Founder & Partnership Agreements, item by item.
Every engagement is scoped to what you actually need. These are the matters Eight Law handles most often in this area.
Founder agreements
The terms between co-founders, in writing.
- Equity splits and founder stock purchases
- Vesting, cliffs, and acceleration
- Roles, decision-making, and time commitments
- IP assignment from each founder to the company
Operating & shareholder agreements
How the owners govern the business.
- Voting, management, and major-decision approvals
- Transfer restrictions and rights of first refusal
- Deadlock resolution
- Drag-along and tag-along terms
Buy-sell & exits between owners
What happens when an owner leaves, dies, or wants out.
- Buy-sell provisions and valuation methods
- Repurchase rights for unvested equity
- Partner buyouts and redemptions
- Admitting new owners or partners
Partnerships
For businesses run by two or more owners together.
- Partnership agreements
- Profit, loss, and distribution terms
- Capital contributions and future funding
- Dissolution and wind-down terms
Signs it's time to call.
How it's billed
New founder and owner agreements are usually quoted as a flat fee. Negotiating a buyout or a dispute between owners is more open-ended and is typically handled hourly with an estimate up front.
- You're starting with one or more co-founders
- You split equity on a handshake and want it documented
- A co-owner is leaving, or you're bringing in a new one
- You're preparing to raise and need founder vesting in place
- You want a buy-sell plan before something unexpected happens
What working together looks like.
Direct access to your attorney at every step — no hand-offs, and scope and fees agreed in writing before work begins.
- 01
Discovery call
Who the owners are and what each is contributing.
- 02
Term outline
Key terms laid out in plain English for the owners to agree on.
- 03
Drafting
Agreements drafted to match what was agreed.
- 04
Signing
Signed, with equity issued and records updated.
Do co-founders really need vesting?
What's an 83(b) election and do I need one?
Can Eight Law represent all the founders at once?
We already have an LLC. Do we still need an operating agreement?
Read before you call.
Founder 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 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 guideRelated services.
Let's build something that lasts.
Tell us where your business is headed. We'll tell you what it takes, legally, to get there.