One Attorney for IP and Corporate
For early-stage founders in engineering-driven fields, IP and corporate counsel are not separate problems. The way founders split equity affects who owns the patents. The contractor agreements you sign in month two affect what an acquirer can buy in year five. The Delaware certificate of incorporation interacts with future preferred stock terms and option pool sizing.
Birdrock IP handles both. Founders work with one attorney across IP and corporate matters, eliminating the handoffs and coordination costs that come with separate firms. For pre-seed through Series B startups in medtech, aerospace, automotive, and mechanical technologies, this is a meaningful efficiency.
The Services We Provide
Delaware C-Corp Formation
Standard Delaware C-Corp formation for venture-track startups. Certificate of incorporation, bylaws, organizational consents, founder stock issuances, and EIN registration. We file with the Delaware Secretary of State and qualify the corporation to do business in California where applicable.
Founder Equity and Vesting Agreements
Founder restricted stock purchase agreements with four-year vesting and one-year cliffs. We counsel founders on equity splits, 83(b) elections, acceleration provisions, and intellectual property assignment provisions. Founder agreements drafted at formation prevent the common dispute scenarios that emerge during fundraising or upon a co-founder's departure.
IP Assignment Agreements
Assignment of inventions, code, designs, and other IP from founders, employees, contractors, and consultants to the company. For engineering companies with substantial pre-formation development work, retroactive IP assignments require particular care to avoid gaps that surface in due diligence.
Convertible Note and SAFE Review
Review and negotiation of SAFEs and convertible notes for founders raising pre-seed and seed capital. We work with both NVCA-style standard documents and custom investor terms, flagging provisions that warrant pushback before signing.
Equity Plan and Option Grants
Adoption of stock option plans, board approval of grants, and 409A compliance considerations. For early-stage engineering companies, option pool sizing and grant timing affect dilution at later financings.