Business Law Practice Areas
Sutter Law is a business law firm serving startups, growth-stage and established companies, founders, executives, and investors throughout the Bay Area and California. Our practice areas cover the legal issues that arise as private companies form, raise capital, sign customers, hire, protect their technology, and eventually sell or change ownership.
Because our attorneys work across corporate, financing, commercial, and transaction matters, related issues can be handled together rather than in isolation. Explore our practice areas below or contact us to discuss your matter.
Jump to a Practice Area
- Outside General Counsel
- Startup & Emerging Growth Companies
- Corporate Structuring & Business Formation
- Startup & Growth Financing
- Venture Capital & Private Equity
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Shareholder Agreements, Equity & Secondaries
- Commercial Contracts
- Intellectual Property & Trademarks
- Privacy Compliance
- AI Legal Services
- Employment Law & Executive Compensation
- Founder & Shareholder Disputes
Outside General Counsel
Ongoing legal support for growth-stage and established companies that need counsel who knows the business, without building a full legal department.
- Commercial contracts and negotiation playbooks
- Board, governance, and corporate maintenance
- Support for in-house legal teams
- Monthly retainer and flat-fee options
Startup & Emerging Growth Companies
Counsel for founders from formation through financing, hiring, commercial growth, and exit, so early legal structure keeps supporting the company as it scales.
- Delaware incorporation and founder equity
- Vesting, 83(b) elections, and IP assignments
- SaaS terms, privacy policies, and trademarks
- Equity incentive plans and option grants
Corporate Structuring & Business Formation
Formation and restructuring of California and Delaware companies, from new corporations and LLCs to subsidiaries, holding companies, and reorganizations.
- Corporation and LLC formation
- Subsidiaries and holding company structures
- Conversions, reorganizations, and affiliate mergers
- Corporate governance and records cleanup
Learn more about Corporate Structuring & Business Formation →
Startup & Growth Financing
Representation of companies and investors in equity, debt, and hybrid financings, from friends-and-family and seed rounds through venture capital, growth equity, and venture debt.
- SAFEs, convertible notes, and seed rounds
- Series A and later venture capital rounds
- Growth equity and venture debt
- Regulation D, Form D, and closing
Venture Capital & Private Equity
Counsel for private equity investors, family offices, independent sponsors, portfolio companies, and business owners in investments, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and exits.
- Platform and add-on acquisitions
- Minority and growth investments
- Recapitalizations and rollover equity
- Management equity and portfolio company counsel
Mergers & Acquisitions
Buy-side and sell-side representation in private-company acquisitions and exits, from letter of intent through diligence, definitive documents, closing, and post-closing matters.
- Strategic, tuck-in, and technology acquisitions
- Company sales and exit preparation
- Legal due diligence and LOI negotiation
- Earn-outs, founder terms, and QSBS coordination
Commercial Contracts
Drafting and negotiation of the commercial agreements technology companies rely on, with a focus on terms that affect revenue, risk, data, and IP.
- Enterprise MSAs and SaaS agreements
- Licensing, OEM, reseller, and channel agreements
- Vendor, procurement, and data processing agreements
- Contracting playbooks and sales team support
Intellectual Property & Trademarks
Protection, licensing, and diligence of the brands, software, content, and know-how that customers, investors, and acquirers examine closely.
- Trademark clearance, filing, and portfolios
- USPTO office actions and oppositions
- Copyrights, trade secrets, and invention assignment
- IP licensing and IP due diligence
Privacy Compliance
Practical privacy programs for technology companies and the privacy and security terms that come with enterprise customers, vendors, AI features, and international operations.
- CCPA/CPRA and GDPR compliance
- Data processing agreements and security addenda
- Customer privacy and security reviews
- Privacy policies and breach response planning
AI Legal Services
Legal counsel for companies building AI products and companies deploying third-party AI tools across their operations.
- AI governance programs and policies
- AI vendor and model provider agreements
- Customer contracts for AI products
- Training data rights, AI IP, and AI diligence
Employment Law & Executive Compensation
Counsel for companies and executives on compensation, equity, separations, HR compliance, and wage disputes under California’s demanding employment laws.
- Executive compensation and stock options
- Severance terms and exit packages
- Employee handbooks and HR compliance
- DIR wage claims and Berman hearings
Founder & Shareholder Disputes
Representation of individual founders, shareholders, business partners, executives, and investors in disputes over ownership, equity, control, and buyouts.
- Co-founder disputes and founder removal
- Equity, vesting, and repurchase disputes
- Minority shareholder rights and deadlock
- Buyouts, mediation, arbitration, and litigation
Why Companies Choose Sutter Law
Experienced Business Counsel
Our attorneys work on the corporate, financing, commercial, and transaction issues that arise as private companies grow, allowing related issues to be handled in a coordinated way.
Direct Attorney Involvement
Clients work directly with the attorneys responsible for the matter. The team is structured to keep senior lawyers involved rather than passing routine responsibility through multiple layers.
Bay Area and California Focus
We serve companies, founders, investors, and owners throughout the Bay Area and California, while regularly handling matters involving Delaware entities, national counterparties, and international operations.
Practical, Transaction-Oriented Advice
We focus on the legal issues that affect economics, control, timing, and execution, and coordinate with tax, accounting, financial, and other advisors when a matter crosses disciplines. Our attorneys also publish practical guidance on the Sutter Law blog.
Ready to Talk?
Not sure which practice area fits your matter? Schedule a consultation or call 415-341-2888.