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At formation: entity choice and setup (usually Delaware C-corp for venture-track companies, LLC for others), founder agreements with vesting, and IP assignment so the company actually owns what the founders build. During growth: commercial contracts (customer agreements, vendor terms, NDAs), employment and contractor agreements, and privacy compliance. At fundraising: SAFEs or priced rounds, cap table hygiene, and diligence readiness. The failure mode isn't usually a missing document — it's founders discovering at diligence that IP was never assigned or a co-founder left with unvested equity. Jacobs Counsel runs this as fixed-fee outside general counsel for startups, sized to stage. ## Related deep-dives - [Fractional GC for AI startups](/fractional-general-counsel-ai-startups) Updated July 2, 2026. General information only—not legal advice for your specific situation. For advice on your facts, book a 15-minute case assessment. ## Want this answered for your specific situation? 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