22 guides
Best Legal Services for Startups (2026)
Compare LegalZoom, Clerky, Stripe Atlas, and other legal services for founders.
Business License Requirements by Region
Most businesses need at least one license: general business license (city/county), professional license (if regulated), sales tax permit, and home occupation permit (if home-based).
CCPA/CPRA Compliance Guide for Small Businesses
CCPA applies if you have California customers, revenue over $25M, process 100K+ CA residents' data, or derive 50%+ revenue from selling data.
Contracts Every Founder Needs (Templates Included)
Essential contracts: client/service agreement, freelancer/contractor agreement, NDA, terms of service, and privacy policy.
Cookie Consent Requirements (EU, UK, and US)
EU/UK require opt-in consent before non-essential cookies.
Copyright Basics: Protecting Your Content and Code
Copyright exists automatically when you create original work.
Ecommerce Legal Requirements Checklist
Online stores need: terms of sale, return/refund policy, privacy policy, shipping policy, sales tax compliance, and consumer protection compliance (EU Consumer Rights Directive, UK Consumer Contracts Regulations).
Founder Agreement: What to Include
Founder agreements cover: equity splits, vesting schedules, roles and responsibilities, decision-making, IP assignment, and departure terms.
Intellectual Property Assignment for Contractors
Without IP assignment in your contractor agreement, freelancers may own the work they create.
Invoice Legal Requirements by Region
Invoices must include specific fields depending on region: business name, address, tax ID, invoice number, date, line items, tax breakdown, and payment terms.
LLC Operating Agreement Basics
An operating agreement defines ownership, profit distribution, decision-making, and exit procedures for your LLC.
NDAs: When and How to Use Them
Use NDAs when sharing proprietary information with potential partners, contractors, or investors.
Open Source License Guide for Founders
Using open source: MIT and Apache 2.
Privacy Policy and GDPR Compliance for Founders
If you have EU visitors, GDPR applies.
SaaS Legal Requirements Checklist
SaaS businesses need: Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, SLA (for enterprise), DPA (data processing agreement for EU customers), acceptable use policy, and cookie consent.
Sharing Information with Investors: Legal Considerations
Don't require NDAs from investors.
Terms of Service Basics for Online Businesses
Your Terms of Service govern how people use your product.
Trademark Basics for Founders
Register your business name and logo as trademarks to prevent others from using them.
UK Data Protection and GDPR Post-Brexit
UK GDPR mirrors EU GDPR with UK-specific requirements.
US Employment Law Basics for First-Time Employers
First hire checklist: verify work eligibility (I-9), classify correctly (W-2 vs 1099), comply with minimum wage and overtime, obtain workers' comp, display required labor posters, and set up payroll taxes.
Website Accessibility Legal Requirements (ADA, EAA)
US ADA lawsuits for inaccessible websites are increasing.
When to Hire a Lawyer (and When Templates Suffice)
Templates work for: standard contracts, privacy policies, terms of service.