Founders and management
Founders need workable ownership, decision rules and contracts that fit their next commercial milestone.
Startup lawyer in Germany · Berlin · advising across Germany
Startup lawyer in Germany
Startups need legal structures that support speed while preparing for the next funding or growth phase.
Who it is for
For founding teams moving from build to scale.
Priorities depend on how the product is sold, who participates and which commercial milestone comes next.
Product and sales teams
Customer terms should reflect the product actually delivered and the commitments the team can keep.
Growing startups
A coherent cap table and document set make investment and employee equity easier to prepare.
Advice
Legal advice aligned with the startup roadmap.
Key documents and decisions are timed to resolve immediate issues without creating unnecessary friction later.
Formation and founder team
Ownership, roles, vesting and intellectual property are addressed as a connected founder arrangement.
- Define founder roles and shares
- Consider vesting and departures
- Assign rights in work product
Contracts and product
The contracting structure follows the service, customers and sales model rather than a collection of unrelated templates.
- Match customer promises to delivery
- Align terms, SaaS agreements and schedules
- Handle enterprise demands consistently
Funding and growth
Corporate records, the cap table and material contracts are organised ahead of a financing round.
- Prepare ownership records and a data room
- Assess term sheets and investor rights
- Plan completion and post-round obligations
Contact
Want to organise your startup’s legal priorities?
Share the current stage, team and next milestone. I will provide an initial view of the legal work that should come first.
How we work
Prioritise what matters for the next phase.
Legal tasks are ranked by risk, dependency and business objective instead of attempting to solve everything at once.
Request counselIdentify the next decision
We map the business model, formation stage, fundraising plan and deadlines to determine which legal questions matter now.
Review documents and options
Articles, founder arrangements, customer contracts and investment documents are assessed in the context of the company’s current stage.
Implement in a workable order
You receive practical drafts and recommendations, with notarial, tax and investor counsel coordinated where appropriate.
Practical perspective
What matters in practice
The following points explain typical decisions and dependencies in this area of advice.
Build a durable founder structure
Ownership, roles and founder commitment should align. Vesting, departure scenarios and intellectual property deserve attention before team dynamics or a financing round make negotiation more difficult.
- Reflect founder shares and contributions transparently
- Set understandable vesting and leaver mechanics
- Assign product, code and brand rights to the company
Connect product and sales documentation
Contract documents must match the actual service and sales process. B2B terms, SaaS agreements, privacy materials and enterprise requirements should therefore be developed as a coordinated system.
- Clarify scope of service and boundaries of responsibility
- Reflect digital and individually negotiated sales paths
- Convert recurring customer requirements into scalable standards
Prepare for investor diligence
Investors assess more than the current cap table: contracts, intellectual property, corporate approvals and employee participation also matter. Organised records shorten diligence and surface open issues early.
- Keep the cap table and shareholder records consistent
- Maintain key agreements and approvals in one data room
- Prepare term sheet, investment documents and closing steps
Your contact: Dr. Philipp Lerch, attorney · Content last updated: 24 September 2026
Dr. Philipp LerchAttorney · Berlin
Profile
Legal precision meets commercial understanding.
As an attorney with experience at an international business law firm and an additional background in computer science, I combine corporate law expertise with a clear understanding of business models, processes, and technology.
- Former attorney at Hogan Lovells International LLP
- Two German honours examinations with a focus on commercial and corporate law
- Dr. jur. and LL.M. Corporate and Commercial Law, University of Sheffield
- B.Sc. Computer Science, Free University of Berlin
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which legal questions should founders resolve first?
Ownership, management, intellectual property, customer contracts and funding should be aligned with the startup’s actual stage. Priority goes to issues that could obstruct the next formation, customer or fundraising milestone.
Does a startup need a founders’ agreement as well as articles?
A separate agreement can address personal duties, collaboration and commercial expectations. Its usefulness and content depend on the founder team, roles, ownership and growth plans.
Which documents matter for a financing round?
The current corporate documents, cap table, existing investment agreements, relevant customer and IP contracts and a draft term sheet are often useful. The exact set depends on the structure and stage of the round.
When should employee equity be planned?
Before making individual promises, the model, economic effect, departure terms and impact on later financing should be understood. Implementation should be coordinated with tax advice.
Can the engagement focus on one issue?
Yes. A defined question such as a term sheet or customer contract can be reviewed separately. Related formation and financing issues may benefit from a shared priority list.
Contact
Want to organise your startup’s legal priorities?
Share the current stage, team and next milestone. I will provide an initial view of the legal work that should come first.