Emerging (Start-Up) Companies

Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt has a tradition of representing emerging companies throughout Alabama and other technology centers across the United States. Over the past decades, we have been involved in the formation of many start-up or merged companies in a variety of fields, including information technology, healthcare, mining, manufacturing and retail. We have participated in hundreds of financings and commercial transactions. Our extensive experience and knowledge is reflected in the focused assistance we provide our clients in the formation, financing, and growth of new companies.

Our emerging companies attorneys combine corporate, securities, and intellectual property legal knowledge with a practical understanding of emerging companies’ business needs. We also provide crucial guidance in developing financing and growth strategies and in structuring practices and policies involving the development and acquisition of intellectual property and its commercial exploitation.

Our clients include information technology companies such as software developers, communications infrastructure providers and companies engaged in the natural resources, manufacturing, construction, insurance, financial, and service sectors. In addition, the growth of our health law practice has added a variety of emerging healthcare companies to this list, including healthcare management companies.

Clients are served by a team-oriented approach, and firm attorneys and staff frequently complement a client’s management team by serving as a “virtual” general counsel, assisting executives in analysis with critical decision making, and participating in board level discussions. This team approach gives our clients the flexibility to call on a number of attorneys who are familiar with the client’s products, technology, and business model, and who understand the strategic and tactical decisions made by management and the board of directors.

Services offered include:

• Company Formation and Incorporation
• Founders’ Agreements
• Employee Equity Incentives and Benefits
• Private Placements and “Angel” Financings
• Venture Capital Financings
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Employment Law Compliance
• Intellectual Property Protection Counseling and Programs
• Confidentiality and Consulting Agreements
• Joint Venture and Strategic Partner Relationships
• Commercial Distribution of Products, Services, and Technology

Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt represents a variety of technology-based and growth companies in all aspects of their formation and development. For example:

• We are frequently called upon to review client business plans and to meet with founding teams to assist them in identifying their key strengths and weaknesses before approaching financial sources and other potential founders.
• We routinely assist clients in structuring the transfer of intellectual property from founders, universities, and other third parties in light of clients’ business models, organizational needs, and strategic direction.
• We are experienced in the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of significant strategic alliances, joint ventures, and other agreements with potential partners, vendors, and customers, as well as traditional mergers and acquisitions.
• We frequently attend board meetings and offer strategic advice and counseling, as well as assistance in forming and maintaining an effective board of directors during a company’s initial phases.
• We are experienced in advising clients on financing strategies and in managing and implementing virtually any type of financing transaction, from venture capital and private placements, to initial and follow-on public offerings.

The attorneys who serve our emerging company clients are part of our general corporate, transactional, and other practice groups. They are experienced in their respective areas of the law as applied to representing emerging companies.