Startup lawyer for founders, from first idea to scale
As your startup lawyer, Mayo Law helps you set up the company, split equity, raise money, write product terms and stay compliant. We advise startups in the United States and Canada, each under the law that applies to it.
- Law Society of OntarioLicensed in Ontario
- New York State BarAdmitted in New York
What a startup lawyer does at each stage
Some early choices are costly to change later. At formation, a startup lawyer helps you pick the entity, issue founder shares with vesting (shares earned over time) and sign a founders agreement. Each founder and contractor should also assign their intellectual property (IP) to the company, so the company owns the code, brand and designs.
When you raise money, we act as the company's venture capital lawyer. Early rounds often use SAFEs (simple agreements for future equity) or convertible notes, which turn into shares later. A priced round sets a valuation and usually sells investors preferred shares. We show how each round affects ownership and check the cap table, the record of who owns what.
As the company grows, a tech startup lawyer drafts and reviews terms of service, privacy policies and customer contracts. We also set up employee option plans, prepare hiring and contractor paperwork, and keep board records in order. As you add products and customers, we advise on the compliance questions that come with them.
In the United States
From our New York office, we help US startups choose between a corporation and an LLC, then draft founder, investor and customer documents.
In Canada
From our Toronto office, we help Canadian startups incorporate under provincial or federal law, then draft shareholder, investor and customer documents.
Across the border
When a startup needs a company in the other country, we set up the second company so it fits with the first.
- Formation and structure
- US corporation or LLC
- Canadian provincial or federal corporation
- Founder shares
- Share classes and cap table
- Founder agreements and equity
- Founders agreement
- Shareholder agreement
- Equity splits and vesting
- Founder departure terms
- IP protection
- IP assignment to the company
- Contractor and employee IP terms
- Confidentiality agreements
- Fundraising paperwork
- SAFEs and convertible notes
- Term sheet review and negotiation
- Seed and Series A closings
- Product and customer terms
- Terms of service
- Privacy policies
- SaaS and customer agreements
- Hiring, governance and compliance
- Stock option plans and advisor grants
- Employment and contractor agreements
- Board records and regulatory questions
Ready to start
You know what you need, such as a new company, a founders agreement or a funding round, and want us to take it on.
Send an inquiryWant advice first
You want to talk through structure, equity or fundraising options before deciding what to do.
Book a consultationCompanies we work with, by stage
Idea and pre-incorporation
Founders choosing an entity, agreeing on an equity split and deciding who owns the early work, before anything is signed.
First customers and hires
New companies signing their first customer contracts, bringing on staff or contractors, and publishing product terms.
Raising capital
Companies issuing SAFEs or notes to angel investors, or negotiating a priced seed or Series A round with a lead investor.
Scaling
Companies adding an option plan or a board, entering new markets, or updating contracts and compliance as they grow.
How we work with founders
- 01Advice for your stage
We focus on what the company needs now and tell you what can wait until later.
- 02Local advice in each place
A US startup gets advice under US law, and a Canadian corporation gets advice under Canadian law.
- 03Documents investors expect
Where standard forms exist, we start from them, so investors and their lawyers see terms they already know.
- 04Plain explanations
We explain each document in plain terms: what it does and what you need to decide.
What our clients say
Joseph explained every step of the legal process in a clear and straightforward manner. I always felt informed and at ease. His professionalism and dedication gave me confidence that my case was in the right hands. I highly recommend his services to anyone seeking legal assistance.
Leena E.
Working with Joseph Mayo was a fantastic experience. He is incredibly knowledgeable and efficient, helping me with important files that needed quick submission. His expertise and dedication were evident, and he guided me through the process in record time. I’m grateful for his prompt and thorough assistance. Highly recommended for anyone needing legal expertise!
Ziad A.
Joseph’s the kind of lawyer who actually listens. I never felt like just a file on his desk—he really took the time to understand me and what I was going through. It made the whole experience a lot less stressful. I’m honestly so glad I found him.
Wisam R.
Guides on this topic
Common questions
What does a startup lawyer do?
A startup lawyer handles the legal side of building a company, from formation through fundraising and growth. That includes choosing the entity, founder shares and vesting, IP ownership, investor documents, option plans, customer terms and hiring paperwork. In the US the same role is often called a startup attorney. The goal is a company whose records and contracts hold up when an investor or buyer reviews them.
Do startups need a lawyer from day one?
Not for everything, but a few early steps are worth doing with a lawyer. The main ones are forming the company, splitting equity, assigning IP and signing the first investor or major customer contract. Mistakes at these points are costly to fix and often surface in due diligence, the review investors do before they fund. A business startup lawyer can tell you which other tasks can wait.
Should a startup form a corporation or an LLC?
Most startups that plan to raise venture capital form a corporation. Investors usually buy preferred shares, and stock option plans are built for corporations. An LLC can suit a New York business that will keep a small group of owners and not raise outside capital. A New York LLC must also publish a notice in newspapers after it is formed. Canada has no LLC form, so Ontario founders who want limited liability usually incorporate under Ontario or federal law.
What is a SAFE note?
A SAFE, or simple agreement for future equity, is an investment contract that usually converts into shares at a later priced round. It is not a loan, so it has no interest rate or repayment date. The terms that matter most are the valuation cap and any discount, because they set how many shares the investor receives. Several SAFEs together can cut founder ownership more than expected, so it helps to look at their combined effect.
What should a founders agreement cover?
A founders agreement should cover the equity split, vesting, roles, how decisions are made, IP ownership and what happens when a founder leaves. Vesting means shares are earned over time, so a founder who leaves early does not keep a full stake. In Canada these terms often sit in a shareholder agreement. US taxpayers who receive vesting shares should ask about an 83(b) election, an IRS filing due within 30 days of receiving them.
How do I find and choose a startup lawyer?
Look for a startup lawyer who works with companies at your stage and practices where your company is based and does business. They should explain trade-offs in plain terms. Ask which documents they use for SAFEs and priced rounds, who will do the work, and how fees are set before you start. Startup law firms differ on these points, so talking to two or three startup lawyers is the easiest way to compare.
Startup legal services from a firm that works with founders in the United States and Canada.
Joseph Mayo is the principal attorney at Mayo Law. He is licensed to practice law in both Ontario and New York, holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from New York University School of Law with a specialty in international business and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in law and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in business from Netanya Academic College, and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario. His practice focuses on cross-border immigration, business law, white collar defense, and compliance.
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