Getting Started Right — Formation, Founders, and Early Decisions

In this episode of The Founder's Hour, hosts Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner are joined by Julie Levinson Werner, partner and Vice Chair of Lowenstein's Employment practice, to discuss the legal and practical considerations founders face as they begin building a workforce. The conversation covers employee and independent contractor classification, offer letters and employment agreements, intellectual property assignments, wage-and-hour requirements, restrictive covenants, workplace policies, and considerations when terminating employees. They also discuss how putting the right employment practices in place early can help companies prepare for future financings, diligence, and growth. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Eric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Julie Levinson Werner, Partner; Vice Chair, Employment

In this episode of The Founder's Hour Lowenstein partners Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner discuss a company's first equity financing and what founders should understand before entering a priced preferred stock round. The conversation explores how priced rounds differ from SAFEs and convertible notes, including more robust documentation, longer timelines, investor diligence, economics, liquidation preferences, governance rights, major investor rights, founder re-vesting, transfer restrictions, and drag-along provisions. The episode also highlights why the first equity financing can set the foundation for future rounds and why founders should work with counsel to understand the balance of power they are creating with investors going forward. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Eric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

In this episode of The Founder's Hour, Lowenstein partners Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner build on prior conversations about company formation, SAFEs and convertible notes, and venture debt to examine how valuation and cap table math affect founders over time. The discussion walks through the impact of equity incentive pools, convertible securities, pre-money and post-money valuation, and priced equity rounds, highlighting how each financing decision can change founder ownership and dilution. Cicirelli and Weiner also explain why founders should look beyond the headline valuation in a term sheet and understand how today's cap table decisions may shape future fundraising, incentives, and long-term growth. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Eric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

In this episode of The Founder's Hour, Debt Finance partner Raquel Smith joins hosts Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner to discuss venture debt facilities. They unpack the key terms founders should understand in venture debt financings, including common red flags, affirmative and negative covenants, financial covenants, and events of default. The conversation also explores the importance of building strong relationships within the venture debt ecosystem, along with the broader risks, strategic considerations, and potential pitfalls associated with venture debt financings. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Eric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Raquel Smith, Partner, Debt Finance

In this episode of The Founder's Hour, hosts Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner discuss SAFEs and convertible notes as early stage funding options, explaining the similarities and differences between the two. They cover both the basics and the nuances of these instruments, as well as their impacts on the founders that sell them and the investors that buy them. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Eric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

Introducing The Founder's Hour, Lowenstein Sandler's Emerging Companies, Venture Capital podcast, where hosts Laura Cicirelli and Eric Weiner discuss the ins-and-outs of starting a company. In this episode, Cicirelli and Weiner cover company formation and early-stage decisions including entity type, timing, IP assignments, and vesting, among others. Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture CapitalEric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital

From Idea to Exit: Happy Hour Conversations on Forming, Growing, and Selling a Business   Hosted by Lowenstein Sandler partners Eric Weiner and Laura Cicirelli, The Founder's Hour explores the legal and business considerations facing startups—from formation to exit. Each episode is based on a monthly in-person gathering at Lowenstein's New York City office, where members of the venture community come together to discuss the topic of the month over refreshments and cocktails. Episodes feature insights from the firm's tax, intellectual property, employment, and executive benefits teams—providing practical guidance for founders, executives, and investors navigating every stage of growth.    Speakers: Laura Cicirelli, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture CapitalEric Weiner, Partner, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital