USC Gould's Workshop on Law & Startups: From Founding to Funding
Join Professor Shaun Sanders, Adjunct Professor of Law at USC Gould School of Law, for Law & Startups: From Founding to Funding, a workshop exploring how lawyers help early-stage companies navigate the legal challenges of building and growing a business.
Startups move fast, and many founders wait until something goes wrong before seeking legal advice. Drawing on more than 20 years in the startup world, Professor Sanders will explore how lawyers can help founders anticipate risks, protect their ideas, and make informed decisions at every stage.
In this workshop, you’ll explore:
Common legal misconceptions founders have—and what lawyers need to know when advising them
Protecting intellectual property through patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets
Employment law and the distinction between employees and independent contractors
Equity essentials, including vesting and 83(b) elections
Fundraising rounds and the securities rules that shape them
How AI is changing the law
The session will close with open Q&A, giving you the opportunity to put your questions directly to Professor Sanders.
About the Speaker:
Shaun Sanders, J.D. is an Adjunct Professor of Law at USC Gould School of Law, where he teaches Business Law and Negotiation. His career spans more than 20 years in the startup world, with roles as legal counsel, startup COO, brand strategist, and cybersecurity lead.
He is Managing Partner of VentureCraft, which helps deep-tech startups commercialize federally funded research and whose clients have raised more than $465 million. He also serves as Senior Associate Director at Octane LaunchPad SBDC and is co-founder and CEO of Konci.AI.
Professor Sanders founded Law School Boost, a study app supporting more than 15,000 law students, and earned his J.D. from Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law.