Representing Startups: Choice of Entity, Protection of IP, Employment Agreements, Equity Compensation, and More

Over the past twenty-three years, Mr. Dossa has focused his expertise on intellectual property counseling and litigation for software, hardware, medical device and consumer device companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 100 companies. He currently serves as both the chair of the Intellectual Property Practice, and the Data Security & Privacy Practice. Mr. Dossa has earned certifications as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Ms. Makadia concentrates her practice on corporate and securities law. She works with companies in a range of areas, including corporate formation, private securities offerings, and merger and acquisition transactions. Previously, Ms. Makadia practiced at Hogan & Hartson LLP in Washington, D.C., where she represented both public and private companies in a broad-based transactional practice encompassing mergers and acquisitions, securities transactions, corporate governance, and company formation and where she represented clients in their initial public offerings and in other public company work. Ms. Makadia also previously practiced at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, LLP in New York doing corporate and transaction work for public and private companies.

Mr. Rubens has worked with businesses and investors on transactions and intellectual property issues since the early 1990s. He represents investors and private companies in new venture formation, equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, commercial loan transactions, data security and privacy issues, intellectual property protection, and a variety of strategic transactions. Mr. rubens frequently acts as outside general counsel to privately held businesses and provides US representation to non-US public and private companies. He represents businesses and their principals in M&A transactions, on both the buy side and the sell side, and he also represents clients in commercial finance transactions. Mr. Rubens work on M&A transactions has included working with closely held and family businesses in selling the enterprise to private equity and strategic buyers, he has been engaged to represent management teams and individual shareholders or shareholder groups involved in large transactions, and he has served as local counsel and US counsel for non-US strategic and financial buyers in transactions involving US-based targets. Mr. Rubens also works with enterprise clients on financing transactions ranging from seed financing and early-stage debt to venture and later-stage growth equity financings