Attorney Compensation from Startups

In conversation with: Stan Christensen, Arbor Advisors

The industry norm is for attorneys not to take equity or a board seat as forms of compensation from startups, says attorney Martin Nichols. In Silicon Valley, fee deferrals are far more normal. Big legal firms may be less likely to work with small startups due to time and revenue constraints, but a smaller firm may not be able to provide a startup with everything that is needed when it comes time for big transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions.