EMERGING COMPANIES
Holland & Knight advises entrepreneurs throughout their companies' full life cycles – from structuring formations, facilitating capital raises and supporting launches to negotiating mergers and acquisitions, arrange initial public offerings (IPOs) and crafting alternative exit strategies.
Our Emerging Companies Team draws on the experience of the firm's 2,200 attorneys to protect intellectual property (IP), conduct technology transfers and transactions, ensure data security, obtain regulatory approval of new drugs and medical devices, and perform other critical legal functions for startups and maturing enterprises in a wide range of industries.
Companies and founders have distinct needs. We have the experience to advise beyond traditional corporate structures and venture capital routes. We help companies grow by calibrating our services to the unique needs of each client.
WE GET STARTUPS STARTED
Entrepreneurs must overcome negativity to imagine, plan and ultimately found their companies. They don't need lawyers who reflexively say "no" to the distinct legal and business problems that forming startups can present.
The experienced and innovative lawyers on Holland & Knight's Emerging Companies Team have the deep and wide-ranging experience in new ventures that is essential to craft creative solutions, meet challenges head-on and help clients navigate their businesses' life cycles.
We have advised emerging companies across industry sectors, including:
WE HELP LAUNCH AND MAINTAIN COMPANIES
We know the conversations founders need to have to turn their ideas into thriving enterprises.
Our attorneys also know the processes that must be negotiated to help set up companies for success, legally and financially. We have a thorough understanding of what's needed for a startup's growth and maintenance, through good times and bad. And we know how to get founders to the next level, through mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, sales or other strategies.
WE ASSIST WITH RAISING CAPITAL
We assist founders in choosing the most advantageous capital structure for their businesses. Our attorneys counsel entrepreneurs on capital processes, as well as their timelines and documents – starting with term sheets, which we have deep experience negotiating, and where great value often is gained or lost.
Our attorneys have successfully closed thousands of deals for clients to obtain financing, including angel and seed-round financings, early-, mid- and late-stage venture capital, asset-based and cash flow financing, bridge loans, simple agreements for future equity (SAFE) and other convertible debt issuances, IPOs and private investments in public equity (PIPEs).
WE KNOW MAINTENANCE AND EXIT STRATEGIES
Our lawyers are invested in the success of client startups throughout their business life cycles. Given our size and reach, we have the capacity to serve any company. We are committed to helping clients achieve their business goals, whether it is to go public, get acquired by major investors, or achieve growth and success with their original private owners.