Acceleration

Glossary Term

If certain events occur (specified by contract), stock vesting can be accelerated so that the stockholder actually owns more equity than the normal vesting schedule would dictate.

Pulling the Trigger(s): What are Single-Trigger and Double-Trigger Acceleration and How Do They Work?

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Double-trigger acceleration refers to the partial or full acceleration of vesting of someone’s options or stock based on the occurrence of two distinct events. Each event is a “trigger” and if both events occur, that is a “double trigger.”

Cooley Protect – Patent Resource Center

Create and Protect

Cooley Protect is a free resource designed by Cooley’s patent counseling & prosecution team.

Introducing Cooley GO in Asia

Cooley GO in Asia offers the same free founder-focused legal resources and document generators that the US and UK ecosystems have come to trust.

Five Common Mistakes US Companies Make When Issuing Stock Options to US Service Providers

This article outlines the five common pitfalls when issuing stock options to service providers in the US

How to Handle Changes on Your Board of Directors

Board and Advisors

Being very clear about exactly who is on your board and when and how each person joined or left your board is important. Learn more about next steps you should consider for departing and new directors.

You Never Issued Stock To Your Founders. Is That A Problem?

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This article offers a cautionary tale on the legal and business importance of addressing and documenting founders' ownership interests before incorporation.

Advice on Advisor Option Grants

Board and Advisors

We often are asked by clients about common terms for stock or option grants for advisors. Advisors are typically business or technical people that lend their time and expertise to a company in exchange for equity.

Protecting Your Founder Equity

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Confusion about your ownership structure, or a poorly planned structure, can create unnecessary administrative hassle and legal expense, and in certain situations can ward off investors. Here are some matters to consider as you establish the ownership structure (capitalization) of your company.

There is No Such Thing as “Founder Stock” (legally speaking)

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Founder Stock may not be what you think it is.

Negotiating Term Sheets: Focus on What’s Important

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When you receive a term sheet from a VC for a full preferred stock financing, the abundance and variety of terms might seem overwhelming. It can be difficult to understand what terms are really important when you don’t have experience living with those terms.

Founder Basics:Founder’s Stock, Vesting and Founder Departures

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Learn what you need to know about stock grants to founders, including vesting, "cliffs", transfers, and what happens on the sale of the company or a founder departure.

Founder Basics:
Founder’s Stock, Vesting and Founder Departures

Start

Learn what you need to know about stock grants to founders, including vesting, "cliffs", transfers, and what happens on the sale of the company or a founder departure.