This practice note will assist you in providing advice and assistance to your start-up client regarding protecting its intellectual property (IP) and confidential information. Alongside the founder's stock purchase agreement and employment agreement, the agreements necessary to protect the start-up's intellectual property are among the most important documents that the start-up will execute after incorporation.
As counsel, your attention to every aspect of these agreements will limit employees and outside contractors from injuring the start-up's business by disclosing secrets, stealing intellectual property, competing with the start-up, or recruiting away the start-up's key employees. Your goal is to help your client ensure the sanctity and secrecy of the important business resources needed for future success and to secure venture capital investment.
For additional start-up formation resources, please see the following practice notes and forms:
- Incorporation Documents and Actions for Start-Ups
- Start-Up Companies - Avoiding Key Legal Mistakes Checklist
- Pre-seed and Seed Stage Equity Investment Transactions
- Confidential Information And Invention Assignment Agreement (Employee)
- Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement (Independent Contractor)
