Firm Overview

The Tech Law Group, headquartered in San Diego, California, with affiliate offices in several countries where our clients need local counsel, specializes in counseling start-up and emerging growth companies.  The attorneys in our group are specialists in advising inventors, entrepreneurs and technologists on protecting their intellectual property and increasing the returns on their business ideas, products and services.  We go beyond the straight legal requirements every smart business owner needs and can advise on a broad range of deliverables you require to stay ahead of the competition in today's global economy.

We are not a traditional law firm. To meet the needs of our innovative and entrepreneurial clients, we have broken ranks with those attorneys who continue to charge by the billable hour. It is our philosophy that charging by the hour is unproductive and hurts the client because:

1) The longer it takes to do your legal work, the more the attorney gets paid;

2) The more attorneys working on a project, the more the client must pay; and

3) The more inefficient an attorney is, the more he gets paid!

The billable hour system is antiquated - unlike most legal firms who remain in the Industrial Age, we have moved along with our clients into the Information Age.  At The Tech Law Group, we believe in a results based system, where we share risk while minimizing yours and let you know how much something costs before you approve it. If we can't provide a comprehensive, flat fee estimate up front, we should not be in the consulting business. We may also handle a matter for a reduced flat fee payable in installments plus a contingency (typically 20%) if the specifics of your matter call for it - we see this as a "win-win" proposal where we are both on the same side of the table.

As of January 2005, the number of attorneys eligible to practice in California alone was 200,155 and in Texas there are 74,675 of us! If you prefer the billable hour method of paying for legal expertise, The Tech Law Group is not for you and you should not have any problem locating a firm to accommodate your requirements.

However, if you want competent professionals on your team who are taking a fresh approach to providing quality legal advice, CLICK HERE to register for an initial consultation with one of our attorneys.

Services

Initial Start-Up Organization

Incorporation Issues

Funding (Seed and Angel Rounds)

Initial Securities Law Issues (Stock Distribution)

Shareholder Agreements

Business Plan Review for Use with Investors

Capital Financing Structure and Negotiations

Term Sheets

Valuations/Fully Diluted Calculations

Stock Rights: Liquidation Preference, Preferred Stock, Founder Vesting, Registration Rights, Anti-Dilution

Protection, Due Diligence Issues, Pre-Emptive Rights, Etc...

Bridge Loans

Private Placements

Corporate Spinouts

Protecting Ideas and Inventions

Copyrights

Patents - Prosecution, Patentability and Infringement Opinions

Trademarks

Trade Secrets

License Agreements

Employment and Post-Employment Issues

Offer Letters to Employees

E-Mail Policies

Employment Agreements

Consulting Agreements

Hiring Employees from Competitors

Trade Secrets and the Employee's Duty of Loyalty

Non-Competes

Stock Option Plans and Agreements

Vesting Issues

Securities Law Compliance

Grants vs. Options

Effect on IPOs and Mergers

ISOs vs. Non-Qualified Options

Strategic Partnering Arrangements

Structure of the Deal

Marketing and Distribution Agreements

Cross-Licensing

Warrants

Operations

Debtor/Creditor Issues

Tax Obligations

Fiduciary Duties

Corporate Governance

Liabilities

Bankruptcy

Employer Obligations

Business Litigation

Breach of Contract

Interference with Contracts

Fraud

Defamation

Intellectual Property Disputes