Charlotte Startup Attorneys & Lawyers

Where are you located?
Zip Code
FIND A LAWYER

How it Works

Request Proposals
Tell us about your legal need so attorneys can prepare custom proposals. It only takes a minute and your information is strictly confidential.
Review Quotes
Our algorithm matches you with attorneys qualified to handle your legal work. You can review their proposals and schedule consultations with no obligation.
Hire Your Lawyers
When you’re ready, hire the attorney that’s right for you. Use our platform to easily collaborate online and ensure your information stays safe and secure.
Nathan W.

Nathan Wenk

11 reviews
Nathan Wenk concentrates his practice on helping startups and small businesses realize their goals by providing targeted and efficient legal advice and agreements. No proje... read more
|
Get Proposal View Profile
Austin G.

Austin Grabowski

15 reviews
Grabowski Law Firm, PLLC represents a wide range of clients across many industries. From business development, complex procedural issues, to general counsel, Grabowski Law ... read more
|
Claire C.

Claire Covington

3 reviews
With over 15 years of legal experience, I’ve represented all types of clients from initial stage Start-Ups to Fortune 50 powerhouses. Working in Big Law in Chicago provided... read more
|
Jonathan B.

Jonathan Barber

3 reviews
Jonathan Barber is a business attorney who has been serving corporate clients in North Carolina for the past two years. He received a Juris Doctorate degree in law from the Liberty University School of Law. Jonathan is experienced in tax law, as well as in labor and employment law. He is also able to assist with the drafting, negotiation and reviewing of commercial contracts. Since May 2016, Jonathan has been serving as the managing attorney at the Barbell Power Law Group.
|
Alonzo M. A.

Alonzo M. Alston, Esq.

2 reviews
A client-focused, service-oriented attorney, Alonzo M. Alston was born to entrepreneurial parents involved in the civil rights movement. This background led to strong values of integrity, social equality, and empowerment, which are reflected in his law practice. Mr. Alston is passionate about helping businesses grow through conscientious legal services and aims to always exceed his clients’ goals.
|
Alexandria A.

Alexandria Andresen

2 reviews
Alexandria Andresen is a business lawyer who has been practicing law for the past three years. She holds a license to practice law in North Carolina and obtained her legal degree from the Charlotte School of Law. Alexandria primarily specializes in dealing with legal cases that involve labor and employment law. Alexandria is also experienced in dealing with trademark and copyright law. Since August 2016, Alexandria has been serving as an associate counselor at Compass Group USA.
|
Whitnie G.

Whitnie Gladden

2 reviews
Whitnie Gladden is a creative, solution-focused, and accomplished senior attorney with proven success in managing, negotiating and resolving candidate and employee claims a... read more
|
Harrison L.

Harrison Lord

2 reviews
A North Carolina trial attorney by trade and self-proclaimed problem solver at heart, Lord represents his clients in Commercial Litigation and Small Business Disputes of all kinds. His goal is to find cost-effective solutions that help his clients reduce their risks, collect money owed to them, and make plans for a successful future. Lord is also the sole founder of [ask LEGAL].
|
Chris K.

Chris Kroger

2 reviews
Chris graduated from West Virginia University law school and has an M.B.A. from Indiana University. His practice area includes business law (particularly commercial and tec... read more
|
Josh M.

Josh Madsen

2 reviews
Practicing civil attorney - barred in Georgia in 2009. Half of practice has been focused on civil litigation as it relates mostly to serious motor vehicle accident injury c... read more
|
View All NEXT

Why Hire a Startup Lawyer?

The best startup lawyers in Charlotte specialize in startup-related topics, including seed financing, incorporation, and venture capital. While there is no such thing as "startup law" in law school, startup lawyers are business attorneys who have a broad range of business knowledge and experience with working with other startup companies.

Top startup attorneys can accomplish the following:

  • Negotiate and complete business contracts. While you legally do not need a lawyer to draw up and complete your contracts, it's an extra level of protection that can help keep your business safe from omissions and mistakes.
  • Help form your business entity. Whether you're seeking incorporation, looking to form a limited liability company (LLC), or any other type of business structure, your startup lawyer can get the job done correctly in less time.
  • Help hire employees. Although you can manage many employment matters on your own, you should have a lawyer draw up all employment agreements. Your lawyer can also give advice on employment decisions, including firing employees and determining employee classifications.
  • Provide legal representation. If someone sues your startup company, your lawyer will represent you in any lawsuits, complaints, or claims.
  • Review documents. Your startup lawyer can review and troubleshoot documents, employee agreements, and vendor contracts. He or she will draw your attention to any issues with the document, helping you cover all your bases.
  • Help secure venture capital. Venture capital is a type of business funding that startups need to get off the ground. Your lawyer can help connect you with venture capital firms to get the funding your business needs to get started.
  • Obtain patents and trademarks. No matter the nature of your business, you will at least need to get trademark protection for your logo and business name. If you've developed any products, software, or services to be sold by your startup, your lawyer will fill out the appropriate paperwork to secure your patents.

Hiring a startup attorney for your Charlotte, North Carolina, business is a smart move. You can be sure all business documents are correctly filled out and filed and that you're represented from the start.

How to Find the Best Startup Lawyer in Charlotte

Many entrepreneurs struggle with finding the right business lawyer, but it's not as complicated as it may first appear.

Since you want to find the best lawyer for your startup, you should meet with several lawyers before making your final decision. Keep in mind that attorneys in Charlotte must be licensed to work in the state and be members of the North Carolina State Bar and/or the Mecklenburg County Bar.

  • Get a personal referral. Asking trusted friends or colleagues which lawyers they've used for their small business is a good way to start your list of names. Ask how well your friend has known the lawyer, how long ago he or she used their services, and what type of work the attorney did for them.
  • Find lawyers through the Bar. Both the Mecklenburg County Bar and the North Carolina Bar Association offer lawyer referral services.
  • Browse UpCounsel. UpCounsel makes it easy for you to find Charlotte startup attorneys, view their profiles, and get a proposal online.
  • Ask yourself whether you prefer a large or small firm. The larger the law firm, the bigger the overhead, which generally means you'll be charged a higher hourly rate. Even so, large firms have advantages over small ones, making them worth the extra cost. In most cases, a solo practitioner or small firm do not have the manpower to negotiate office or retail leases, advise you on employee matters, file your patent or trademark paperwork, or oversee corporate meetings.
  • Interview several attorneys. Even if you hit it off with the first lawyer you interview, you should still meet with a few other attorneys to make sure you've made the right decision. See how well-connected each lawyer is in the industry and go with your instinct. The easier it is to be open and honest with your attorney on all business matters, the better.

Before getting legal help in Charlotte, find out if your prospective lawyer plans to provide frequent updates and regular communication. Understand how the lawyer will bill you for counsel (hourly or flat fees).

Questions for a Startup Lawyer

  • Do you have experience handling all legal matters associated with startups?
  • Do you have any special certification or other credentials in this practice area?
  • Can I see a confidential reference from a former client?
  • Will you be handling all my legal matters or will you assign some tasks to a paralegal or another lawyer?
  • How do you plan to communicate with me? Will I be billed for phone calls or emails to you or your staff?
  • If I email or call you, when can I expect a reply or return phone call?
  • If you charge by the hour, how will I be billed for portions of an hour?

Why use UpCounsel to hire a Charlotte Startup Attorney?

14 years

Average experience

You always get experienced professionals and high caliber work.

3x

Faster

Your work gets done quickly because professionals are always available.

60%

More cost effective

We use technology to cut traditional overhead and save you thousands.

UpCounsel has been talked about in:

Legal Services Offered by Our On-Demand Charlotte Startup Attorneys

On UpCounsel, you can find and connect with top-rated Charlotte startup attorneys & lawyers that provide a range of startup law services for startups and entrepreneurs that are starting a business. Any of the top-rated Charlotte startup lawyers you connect with will be available to help with a variety of your startup law related legal needs on-demand or on an ongoing basis in the city of Charlotte, NC.

From primarily dealing with things like business formation, contracts, leases, equity financing, securities, and intellectual property protection, the Charlotte startup lawyers on UpCounsel can help you with a variety of specialized and general startup law related legal matters. No matter what type of startup law needs you have, you can easily hire an experienced Charlotte startup lawyer on UpCounsel to help you today.

If You Need Ongoing Legal Counsel or Ad-hoc Legal Work – We Can Help!

Improve Your Legal ROI with Affordable Startup Attorneys that service Charlotte, NC.

Want to Connect with Top Charlotte Startup Attorneys & Lawyers?

What Our Customers Have to Say

"UpCounsel gives me access to big-firm lawyers minus the big-firm price tag. I work with several attorneys on the platform and there are never surprises...I always receive quality legal work at competitive rates that larger firms simply cannot match."

Scott Woods
SVP & General Counsel

"Every startup needs to know about UpCounsel. We found great attorneys at great prices and were able to focus our resources on improving our business instead of paying legal bills."

Sean Conway
Co-founder & CEO

"Before UpCounsel it was hard for us to find the right lawyer with the right expertise for our business. UpCounsel solves those problems by being more affordable and helping us find the right lawyer in no time."

Tristan Pollock
Co-founder & COO

Related Articles


Participating Preferred Stock

  • 4 min read

What Is Participating Preferred Stock?

Participating Preferred Stock is a security that gives venture capitalists a return on investment before the rest of the stock holders get their share earnings. It is often used in angel investment schemes when the investor wants a sure and quick return on their investment on top of their company share in the venture. Unlike common stock, the equity of participating preferred stock comes first.

Why Is Participating Preferred Stock Important?

This stock option is important for venture capitalists because it lowers their investment risks in startups and c

...

Read More

How to Start a Transportation Business

  • 3 min read

Updated June 26, 2020:

To start a transportation business, you will need to decide which type of business you intend to create. Options include: a taxi service, bike rental, limousine service, owner/operator trucking, moving company, specialized transportation service, livestock transportation, transporting boats, air transport, marine shipping, medical transport or services for seniors. The type of company you use to establish should be determined based, among other things, on the need and competition in the area you decide to work in. Once you figure out what you want to transport,you'll need to build a plan to establish how you are going to provide these services.

Determine What Kind of Business You Want

Do you want to run a sole proprietorship,

...

Read More

Outstanding Shares

  • 4 min read

What Are Outstanding Shares?

The term “outstanding shares” (aka “shares outstanding”) refers to the total of all shares of your company’s stock held by all of your investors, including restricted shares owned by company officers and institutional investors.

You will find the total number of outstanding shares listed on your company’s balance sheet under the “Capital Stock Issued and Outstanding” heading. You can also calculate the number of outstanding shares by adding the total number of preferred stock shares to the total number of common stock shares, and then subtracting the total nu

...

Read More

Right of First Offer

  • 9 min read

What Is Right of First Offer?

Right of first offer is an agreement that when an owner is ready to sell or lease an asset, the holder of the right of first offer gets the first chance to buy or lease the property within a given time frame. Once the holder has made the offer, the seller is able to accept or refuse the offer. If the seller refuses it, he or she can move on to a third party offer.

Right of First Offer: In Depth

Most commonly, right of first offer is used in contracts within the real estate market and in the selling and buying of businesses. Typically, the stipulation is included in a tenant-landlord contract and in businesses with business partners and investors.

The most practical reason to have right of first offer is for a commercial tenant. If the owner decides to sell, it would give the tenant a chance to make an offer. If accepted, this prevents the need for th

...

Read More

Find the best lawyer for your legal needs

Find a lawyer