This class will prepare students to counsel early-stage companies and investors through a myriad of startup related transactions and situations. We will begin with a brief history of venture to understand the foundation of the practice, and then explore, in detail, aspects of structuring a venture backed company, raising capital, interacting with investors, and typical commercial agreements germane to a startup. Students will be expected to read, interpret, and draft common venture financing documents and identify and provide counsel on typical founder and early-stage company issues. The final grade will have four parts: class attendance (10%), two drafting exercises (each 25%), and a final exam (40%). The final exam will be multiple choice/short answer based, similar to most legal issue spotting exams.
Vela, Kevin M.