Equity

Our Equity Services

Managing equity is critical for founders, employees, and investors alike. VirtualCounsel helps startups issue stock options, equity grants, and incentive plans compliantly—avoiding messy cap tables and protecting company value. With expert support in cap table management and investor readiness, we ensure your equity structure scales with your business.

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Services

Equity Services we offer

Make equity simple and compliant. Our team handles stock option grants, equity plans, cap table setup, and investor-ready packages—ensuring accuracy, compliance, and clarity at every stage.

Equity

Issue securities compliantly and ensure your equity is handled with care and accuracy. A messy cap table can be very dangerous.

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SERVICES

Stock Option Grant

$500

Stock Award/Grant

$1,000

Equity Incentive Plan (EIP)

$2,000

Cap Table Setup and Management

$6,000

Investor-Ready Package

$6,000

Our Equity Offerings Guide

Explore how our General Counsel services support governance, compliance, and strategic advisory. Learn how we help with board resolutions, regulatory research, and audits—plus get expert insights to reduce risk, stay compliant, and make confident business decisions.

Read the Guide

10:47am

Stock Option Grant Approved

Attached: Signed equity grant documents are now recorded on your cap table.

Calendar Invite

now

Equity Plan Review Meeting

11:00 EST – Thursday

Tom

Thanks for helping us clean up our cap table — investors finally said it looks “bulletproof.”

Related Resources

Unvested Shares Demystified: Understanding Equity Compensation in Startups

Equity

When a company grants stock, it doesn’t mean employees immediately own it outright. Instead, the equity is tied to a vesting schedule - a structured process that gradually transfers ownership over time. Unvested shares are those that an employee has been granted but are still subject to the company’s right to repurchase if the employee leaves early.

Understanding Acceleration: Protecting Startup Talent Through Vesting Strategies

Equity

Acceleration is a mechanism in equity compensation that allows employees or founders to vest their stock options faster than the original schedule. It is most often triggered by significant events like a company acquisition. Acceleration ensures that key contributors are fairly compensated during major transitions and protects the value of their equity.

Vesting Schedules: The Strategic Foundation of Startup Equity Compensation

Equity

For both founders and employees, vesting schedules are more than a technical requirement. They are a strategic tool that determines how equity is earned, how long employees remain motivated, and how well a startup protects its ownership structure. A well-designed vesting schedule can strengthen retention, build loyalty, and align incentives between the company and its team.

Equity Incentive Plans / Equity Stock Option Plans

Equity

For startup founders, an option pool is more than a technical detail - it’s a strategic tool. The size, structure, and timing of your equity incentive plan can determine your ability to attract top talent, align incentives, and keep your company’s cap table clean for future investors.

Option Pools and Acquisitions: Navigating the Equity Landscape

Equity

When a startup is acquired, the treatment of its option pool becomes a critical factor for both founders and employees. Option pools influence retention, compensation, and how value is distributed during a merger or acquisition. Understanding what happens to these equity instruments helps founders negotiate better terms and employees make informed financial decisions.

NSOs v. ISOs: Strategic Equity Decisions for Startups

Equity

For startup founders, choosing between Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs) and Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) isn't just a matter of tax implications—it's a strategic decision that affects your ability to attract talent, manage company finances, and create the right incentives. Let's explore both options to help you make informed equity decisions for your venture.

Stock Options: An Overview

Equity

For startup employees, stock options represent more than just potential future wealth - they are a key part of compensation and long-term financial planning. Understanding how stock options work, and the differences between option types, can help you make informed decisions that align with your career and financial goals.

Stock Warrants in Startup Funding: Strategic Tools for Capital Raises

Equity

In the complex landscape of startup financing, stock warrants are often misunderstood but highly effective tools. Warrants give investors, lenders, or partners the right - but not the obligation - to buy shares at a set price in the future. When used strategically, warrants can provide flexibility in capital raising while aligning investor and company interests.

Common vs. Preferred Stock: A Startup's Guide to Equity Fundamentals

Equity

In the intricate world of startup financing, understanding the difference between common and preferred stock is crucial. These two types of equity are not just legal distinctions—they represent fundamentally different approaches to ownership, risk, and reward.

Equity Dilution Demystified: What Every Startup Founder Needs to Know

Equity

In the startup world, few concepts spark as much anxiety as equity dilution. Many founders assume dilution is always negative, but the reality is more nuanced. Equity dilution is a natural and often necessary part of growth. By understanding its mechanics, you can manage dilution strategically and build long-term value.

Decoding 409A Valuations: Navigating the Complexities of Startup Stock Valuation

Equity

In the high-stakes world of startup equity, understanding 409A valuations isn't just a compliance checkbox—it's a critical strategy that can make or break your company's financial health and employee compensation framework.

RSAs vs. RSUs: Navigating Startup Equity Compensation

Equity

For startup founders and employees, equity compensation is not just a financial detail - it’s a strategic tool for growth, retention, and alignment.

Understanding 83(b) Elections: A Critical Tax Strategy for Startup Equity

Equity

We want to inform you of an important tax provision that can significantly impact how equity compensation is taxed for startup employees, founders, and early-stage contributors.

Founder Preferred Stock: What Entrepreneurs Should Know

Equity

For startup founders, stock structure is more than a technicality - it’s a strategic decision that influences control, investor relations, and fundraising potential. Founders Preferred stock can take different forms, each carrying unique advantages and tradeoffs.

Determining Par Value for Startup Stock

Equity

Par value is one of the foundational decisions in a startup’s equity structure. While it may seem like a minor technicality, par value directly affects how stock is issued, how founders and employees receive equity, and how investors perceive the company.

Founder Equity: Strategic Considerations for Equitable Distribution

Equity

Splitting equity among co-founders is one of the most important and sensitive decisions in the early life of a startup. The distribution of ownership impacts motivation, team alignment, and the long-term health of the company. This guide outlines the key principles, methods, and pitfalls to consider when dividing founder equity.

Startup Shares: Determining the Right Number of Shares at Incorporation

Equity

For startup founders, determining the number of shares to issue at incorporation is a critical decision that impacts ownership structure, employee incentives, and future funding potential. This memo outlines the key factors to consider when allocating shares in your new venture.

Startup Shares 101: Navigating the Complexities of Share Calculations

Equity

In the intricate world of startup finance, understanding share calculations is crucial. What seems like a straightforward counting exercise quickly becomes a nuanced exploration of different share types and calculation methods. Let's break down the three key ways startups measure their shares.

Startup Equity Compensation: The Basics

Equity

For startup founders and entrepreneurs, equity compensation is more than a recruitment tool. It builds an ownership culture, attracts top talent, and aligns employee incentives with company growth. Understanding the fundamentals of equity plans helps you design a structure that supports long-term success.

Most startups dread hiring a lawyer.

You’re afraid to reach out to your counsel for support because of high fees and slow turnaround.

You’re winging it and concerned about contracts, employees, liability, and overall fear of the unknown.

You're raising capital or developing equity compensation plans without the proper due diligence.

We get it, which is why we’re the evolution of the law firm.‍

Your Equity Advantage

Clean, Accurate Cap Tables

We ensure your ownership records are clear and compliant, avoiding costly mistakes that derail funding.

Attract & Retain Talent

Equity grants and incentive plans help you recruit top employees and keep them invested in your success.

Investor-Ready Structure

From EIP setup to compliance checks, we make sure your company is positioned for funding and growth.

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Hear what clients have to say:

“@VirtualCounsel is also strategic in terms of helping us to think about our risks in a different way, and some of those other risks and opportunities that I may not be thinking of . . .

They help me manage downside, think through opportunities in detail, organize our employees, and structure everything in a smart and effective way.”

Christian Chasmer

COO, Ammortal

Digital is our default

We know that today's clients are technologically sophisticated and expect the same from their service providers. We leverage technology to streamline communication, keep projects organized and make our workflow as efficient as possible.

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Slack

Google Drive

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Google Meet

Basecamp

Zoom

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Loom

Slack

Google Drive

Gusto

Google Meet

Basecamp

Zoom

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Loom

Slack

Google Drive

Gusto

Google Meet

Basecamp

Zoom

Carta

Equity Plans Built for Growth

Partner with our equity experts to structure ownership the right way. From stock option grants and equity incentive plans to cap table management and investor-ready packages, we’ll ensure compliance and accuracy so you can focus on growing your business.

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Talk to an Equity Expert

Our Equity Services

Equity Services we offer

Stock Option Grant

Scope of Work

Stock Award/Grant

Scope of Work

Equity Incentive Plan (EIP)

Scope of Work

Cap Table Setup and Management

Scope of Work

Investor-Ready Package

Scope of Work

Our Equity Offerings Guide

Related Resources

Unvested Shares Demystified: Understanding Equity Compensation in Startups

Understanding Acceleration: Protecting Startup Talent Through Vesting Strategies

Vesting Schedules: The Strategic Foundation of Startup Equity Compensation

Equity Incentive Plans / Equity Stock Option Plans

Option Pools and Acquisitions: Navigating the Equity Landscape

NSOs v. ISOs: Strategic Equity Decisions for Startups

Stock Options: An Overview

Stock Warrants in Startup Funding: Strategic Tools for Capital Raises

Common vs. Preferred Stock: A Startup's Guide to Equity Fundamentals

Equity Dilution Demystified: What Every Startup Founder Needs to Know

Decoding 409A Valuations: Navigating the Complexities of Startup Stock Valuation

RSAs vs. RSUs: Navigating Startup Equity Compensation

Understanding 83(b) Elections: A Critical Tax Strategy for Startup Equity

Founder Preferred Stock: What Entrepreneurs Should Know

Determining Par Value for Startup Stock

Founder Equity: Strategic Considerations for Equitable Distribution

Startup Shares: Determining the Right Number of Shares at Incorporation

Startup Shares 101: Navigating the Complexities of Share Calculations

Startup Equity Compensation: The Basics

Your Equity Advantage

Clean, Accurate Cap Tables

Attract & Retain Talent

Investor-Ready Structure

Digital is our default

Equity Plans Built for Growth