Closed-Door Founder Roundtable Legal Essentials for Founders in the UK

​2:30 PM – Arrival & Welcome Drinks

​2:45 PM – Welcome & Introduction

​Sevcan Akbayrak & Yasemin Olcay

​(Rise Her Collective)

​3:00 PM – Company Structure, Founder Setup & Shareholder Basics (40 min)

​Tülin Kıranoğlu Hamit – Partner & Tax Lawyer | Collyer Bristow

​Topics:

​• Choosing the right structure: Ltd vs LLP

​• Founder equity, share classes & vesting mechanics

​• When and why to implement a shareholders’ agreement

​• Common early-stage structuring mistakes

​• Directors’ duties and personal liability risks

​• IR35 considerations for founders and contractors

​• Managing early-stage governance risks

​3:40 PM – What Endorsing Bodies Look For (25 min)

​Iman El Sherif – Director of Visa Endorsement Programmes

​Topics:

​• UK Innovator Founder Visa logic

​• What endorsing bodies look for

​• Business plan essentials for endorsement

​• Post-endorsement investment pathways

​4:05 PM – Contracts, Liability & Founder Risk Exposure (25 min)

​Siavash Karimitari – Senior Litigation Solicitor | Ashton Ross Law

​Topics:

​• Startup contract disputes in real life

​• When agreements become legal claims

​• Fraud & compliance risks founders overlook

​• Evidencing digital agreements in court

​4:30 PM – Intellectual Property Strategy & Ownership (25 min)H. Ahu Güneyli-Havelock – IP Lawyer

​Topics:

​• IP ownership: founder vs company vs contractors

​• Staff vs freelancer IP assignment

​• Building an IP strategy for scale

​• International expansion considerations

​4:55 PM – Immigration & Founder Visa Pathways (25 min)

​Buket Erdoğan – Senior Immigration Solicitor | Ashton Ross Law

​Topics:

​• Global Talent vs Innovator Founder Visa

​• Red flags in founder applications

​• Settlement pathways for founders

​• Expansion routes into the UK

​5:20 PM – Close & Networking