Startups

Our multidisciplinary team of attorneys provides counsel to companies from formation through funding and growth to strategic exit.

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Offering the Guidance and Counsel Needed for Startups of All Sizes

Phillips Lytle has a long history of supporting startups, emerging growth companies and entrepreneurs dating back to 1834 when our founder represented a small startup—Marine Bank—now a global financial institution, HSBC. Today, our multidisciplinary team of attorneys provides counsel to companies from formation through funding and growth to strategic exit. Our depth of knowledge and expertise across a diverse set of practice areas allows our law firm to creatively execute your business strategy.

Legal Counsel for Startup Companies

Our Startup lawyers have a strong network of resources with venture capital firms and angel investors that support our clients and assist with the advancement of their businesses. We have the expertise in guiding startup founders and companies through the various stages of building a company from the ground up.

We lecture extensively on topics related to startups, venture and angel investments and exit transactions, and we volunteer significant time to working with undergraduate and graduate student entrepreneurs. Several of our attorneys regularly serve as judges and mentors at various business plan competitions throughout the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Startup companies can require legal counsel in a number of areas. The lawyers at Phillips Lytle have the legal expertise to provide our startup clients with guidance in entity formation, capitalization, intellectual property and brand protection, commercialization, corporate governance and more. Whatever legal issues your startup may face, our attorneys will provide the proper guidance and assistance you need.

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Diverse Industry Experience

Phillips Lytle’s Startup lawyers have represented entrepreneurs in a broad range of industries and disciplines, including:
  • Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG)
  • Food and agriculture
  • Renewables and CleanTech
  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency
  • Cyber technology
  • FinTech and HealthTech
  • Gaming
  • Cannabis
  • EV and peripherals
  • Nanotechnology
  • Additives and other manufacturing
  • Software
  • Technology

IGNITe!

To show our commitment to startup founders and emerging companies, Phillips Lytle has developed the IGNITe! Program. There’s no question that startups need the right legal partner to get off the ground. But help at the beginning is just the start of what the IGNITe! Program can offer your startup company. The lawyers in our Startup Practice Team will customize a package of services that will assist in executing your business strategy with the understanding of the limits and challenges your startup company may face.

We also have strong relationships with accelerators and incubators in numerous locations in which Phillips Lytle has offices, including:

  • 43North
  • Access Silicon Valley—New York City
  • Communitech Hub—Waterloo Region of Canada and New York City
  • Fredonia Technology Incubator
  • FuzeHub
  • IgniteU NY
  • Launch NY
  • NYBizLab
  • REVEAL (Rensselaer Emerging Ventures Ecosystem Accelerator Lab)
  • Spark Saratoga

Additionally, our office at the Communitech Hub in the Kitchener, Waterloo region of Canada, allows us to open doors to startups that need legal counsel and business advice that focuses on expanding operations outside of the Canadian market.

Meet Our Startups Team


Richard E. Honen Partner
Benjamin M. Farber Partner
Anthony Ghanem Associate
Asaf Hahami Partner
Michael W. Held Associate
Timothy P. Kucinski Partner
Richard J. Marinaccio Partner
David J. Murray Senior Counsel
Jeffrey B. Schwartz Partner
James Kevin Wholey
Meet the Team
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How Can We Help?

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