Yonaton Aronoff Publishes Article in TechCrunch+ on Proactive Planning Steps for Startup Founders
October 19, 2022
TechCrunch+ published an article from Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP partner Yonaton Aronoff that details the planning, tough conversations and legal issues co-founders must consider when starting and launching their companies.
In his article, “Why your startup needs a prenup” (subscription required), Aronoff compares the issues new startup co-founders face to those that recently-engaged couples go through. Like soon-to-be-married partners, startup founders tend to focus on the excitement and promise of their new relationship. Unfortunately, many co-founders are blinded by this optimism, leading many to ignore key business planning issues and hold off on essential conversations until it is too late.
Aronoff writes that while it may be “uncomfortable and draining” for founders to speculate about and discuss worst-case scenarios and future business problems, the consequences of overlooking these potential pitfalls can be severe and potentially crippling.
He further notes, “It is best practice at the startup stage to soberly confront the potential for disputes in the future, work with outside counsel to plant for and agree upon process for dealing with negative contingencies and document those agreements in strong, clear governing documents.”
Aronoff is a commercial litigator and counselor with a well-earned reputation for aggressiveness, efficiency and value. He represents businesses and individual clients, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in disputes spanning a broad array of claims and subject matters. He has successfully litigated cases involving commercial contracts, investors’ rights, executive employment, business torts, trade secrets and unfair competition, retail and apparel disputes, e-commerce issues, and intellectual property. He has deep experience in all aspects of commercial litigation, including numerous trials, arbitrations, and evidentiary hearings.