SKILL ROADMAP 50 · SPECIALISED LEGAL FIELDS

Startup and Venture Capital Law

Startup formation → Founder agreements → Funding instruments → Term sheets → Investment documents → ESOPs → Foreign investment → Exits

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This roadmap has 8 steps, 3 checkpoints and 2 projects.
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1 What this path is

Startup lawyers help founders set up and grow companies and help investors put money into them.

The work involves fast paced deals, close work with founders and practical, commercial advice.

Learn startup formation.
Learn: company formation and startup recognition schemes.
Practise: by listing the steps to incorporate a startup.
Learn founder agreements.
Learn: vesting, IP assignment and founder exits.
Practise: by drafting a founders' agreement.
Learn funding instruments.
Learn: equity, preference shares and convertible instruments.
Practise: by explaining how a convertible instrument converts.
Learn term sheets.
Learn: valuation, liquidation preference, anti dilution and board rights.
Practise: by analysing a sample term sheet for both sides.
Learn investment documents.
Learn: share subscription and shareholders' agreements.
Practise: by drafting from a term sheet.
Learn ESOPs.
Learn: how employee stock option plans work.
Practise: by drafting a simple ESOP scheme outline.
Learn foreign investment.
Learn: FEMA and the non debt instruments rules, and the SEBI AIF Regulations for funds.
Practise: by checking the approval route for a foreign investment.
Learn exits.
Learn: secondary sales, acquisitions and IPOs.
Practise: by mapping exit rights in a shareholders' agreement.

You run funding rounds and advise founders and investors.

These checklists are for honest self assessment. They are not an official certification.

Look for startup practices, VC focused firms and startup legal teams.

Analyses and drafts.