Legal Basics for Startups
Understand the contracts, IP, and compliance that every founder needs to know.
About this course
A practical legal literacy course for founders and operators. This course is educational and informational — it does not constitute legal advice. You will understand the key legal structures and documents a startup encounters in its first three years, and know when to engage a lawyer and what questions to ask.
Target audience: First-time founders, early-stage startup employees, operators in high-growth companies
What you will learn
- Legal literacy
- Startup contracts
- IP assignment
- GDPR basics
- Shareholders agreements
Course syllabus
10 modules · video + templates
- 1Company structures: Ltd, LLP, and sole trader trade-offs
- 2Shareholders agreements: key terms and why they matter
- 3Founder vesting: cliff, schedule, and acceleration
- 4Intellectual property: assigning IP from founders to the company
- 5Employment contracts vs contractor agreements
- 6NDAs: when to use them and what makes them enforceable
- 7GDPR and data privacy for UK startups
- 8Terms of service and privacy policy essentials
- 9SaaS subscription agreements and liability caps
- 10When to hire a lawyer: good triggers and how to brief one effectively
Frequently asked questions
Does this replace getting a lawyer?
No. This course gives you the literacy to understand legal documents and ask good questions, but any material legal decision should involve a qualified solicitor or attorney admitted in your jurisdiction.
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