This course explores the legal needs of a startup at various stages of its growth cycle, from ideation through to the sale of the business. Students will analyze the business and legal challenges faced by startups and consider practical solutions that translate legal analysis into actionable advice for founders.

This course will introduce students to the issues and questions that they will encounter as a lawyer for an entrepreneurial venture, but also looks at legal and business concepts from the perspective of the entrepreneur. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of legal issues, that may include but are not limited to, intellectual property, securities, entity formation, business operations, human resources, and tax. Additionally, students will explore the impact of legal technology and its impact on the profession.

Students will examine various stages in the development of a new venture including early ideation and business plan development, financing and scaling the organization, exploring strategic growth strategies such as acquisitions, and eventual exit strategies for founders. The course will also explore real-world examples of startup successes and failures, emphasizing the role of legal counsel in mitigating risk and enabling business success.

A central component of the class will be a group assignment in which students will develop their own hypothetical startup idea, from ideation to exit, applying the concepts discussed in class to ensure the success of the venture.