Important: this course is educational material only and is not legal advice. Laws differ between countries, states and regions and change over time. Nothing here creates a lawyer-client relationship. For decisions about your business, consult a qualified lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction.
Why Founders Should Understand Legal Basics
Legal issues in startups are often cheap to prevent and expensive to fix. A missing intellectual property assignment, an informal founder split or a misclassified contractor can cause problems during fundraising or a sale. Understanding the basics lets you spot issues early and use professional time efficiently.
How the Course Is Organised
Each module explains a topic in general terms, describes common issues and suggests questions to raise with your lawyer. Examples use hypothetical companies to illustrate concepts; they are not templates for your situation.
Keep a Legal Questions List
As you go through the lessons, keep a running list of questions specific to your business. By the end, you will have a focused agenda for a conversation with a lawyer, which saves time and cost.
Exercise
Start your legal questions list now. Add the country and region where your company is or will be formed, and where your main customers are, since these affect which rules apply.