Contact Robert Melton, Esq. or submit a business inquiry online.
Startups
-
Equity Compensation: Stock Options and Restricted Stock for Private Companies
- July 16, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Categories: Business Formation, Business Law
No Comments
Equity compensation is a powerful tool for attracting and retaining talent at private companies. This guide explains the key forms of equity — ISOs, NSOs, restricted stock, and RSUs — how they are taxed, and what companies and employees need to know before granting or receiving equity.
-
Reg D and Accredited Investors: Raising Capital Without SEC Registration
- July 13, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Categories: Business Formation, Business Law
Regulation D is the most commonly used exemption for private securities offerings in the United States. This guide explains how Rule 506(b) and Rule 506(c) work, who qualifies as an accredited investor, what disclosure and filing obligations apply, and what businesses must do to stay on the right side of the SEC.
-
Cap Tables Explained: A Guide for Startup Founders
- June 14, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
A capitalization table — or cap table — is the central record of who owns what in your startup. Understanding your cap table, how it changes with each financing, and how it affects your eventual return is fundamental knowledge for every founder.
-
Convertible Notes vs SAFE Agreements: Startup Financing Basics
- June 10, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
Convertible notes and SAFE agreements are the two most common instruments for raising early-stage startup capital. This guide explains how each works, what the key terms mean, and how founders should think about choosing between them.
-
IP Assignment Agreements: Why Every Startup Needs One
- June 1, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
Without a proper intellectual property assignment agreement, your startup may not actually own the technology, code, or creative work that is supposed to be its core asset. This guide explains what an IP assignment agreement does and why it is non-negotiable.
-
Understanding Term Sheets: A Guide for First-Time Founders
- May 27, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
A term sheet from a venture capital investor is exciting — and often confusing. This guide explains the most important terms in a VC term sheet, what they mean for your ownership and control, and what founders should negotiate.
-
Equity Vesting: What Founders and Employees Need to Know
- May 22, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
Equity vesting determines when founders and employees actually earn the shares or options they have been promised. Understanding how vesting works — and why it matters — is essential for anyone who has equity in a startup.
-
LLC vs Corporation: Which Business Structure Is Right for Your Startup?
- May 20, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Business Law
Choosing between an LLC and a corporation is one of the first and most consequential decisions a new business owner makes. This guide explains the key legal and practical differences to help you choose the structure that fits your goals.
-
Founder’s Agreements: Why Every Co-Founded Startup Needs One
- May 16, 2026
- Posted by: allan
- Category: Startup Law
A founder’s agreement is one of the most important documents a startup will ever sign — and one of the most commonly skipped. This guide explains what a founder’s agreement covers, why it matters, and what happens when startups try to skip it.
-
Do Startups Need Lawyers?
- May 1, 2026
- Posted by: rob
- Category: Business Law
-
SEO for Startups: A Blueprint for B2C Success
- April 3, 2017
- Posted by: rob
- Category: Business Law
-
Agentic AI Liability in Autonomous Decisions: Who Pays When the AI Gets It Wrong
When an AI agent autonomously places orders, sends communications, or manages accounts, your business is the principal — and bears the legal consequences. This post examines agency law, negligence doctrine, regulatory guidance, and what agentic AI vendor contracts must contain to protect deploying businesses.
August 8, 2026 Read more -
When the Algorithm Is the Defect: AI Recommendation Systems and Design Defect Claims
A new theory of product liability has emerged and is winning in court: the recommendation algorithm itself is the defective product. This post examines the legal landscape, from the social media MDL to the first jury verdict, and what it means for businesses deploying AI-driven recommendation and personalization systems.
August 7, 2026 Read more -
Is Your AI a Defective Product? How Product Liability Law Applies to AI Systems
Courts are allowing product liability claims against AI developers to proceed, bipartisan federal legislation would classify AI systems as defective products, and the EU has already done so by statute. This post explains the three product liability theories — design defect, manufacturing defect, and failure to warn — and what they mean for businesses that build or deploy AI.
August 6, 2026 Read more -
Legal Liability for AI Hallucinations in Business Contexts
AI hallucinations — confidently wrong outputs from large language models — have triggered court sanctions, professional discipline, and civil liability across legal, medical, and business contexts. This post explains the negligence framework, landmark cases like Mata v. Avianca and Moffatt v. Air Canada, what AI vendor disclaimers actually cover, and what businesses must do to reduce their exposure.
August 5, 2026 Read more
