Business Counsel
Practical, business-first legal guidance for California startups, from first formation through growth, funding, and exit stages
Services
We advise on entity formation, founder agreements, venture financings, commercial contracts, employment policies, and mergers or acquisitions, providing pragmatic, scalable legal solutions tailored to California startups, SaaS companies, and emerging growth businesses across technology, consumer, and professional service industries statewide daily
Pricing
Launch Counsel
Most early-stage clients engage us on predictable, flat-fee packages for common startup needs—such as formations, founder agreements, standard SAFEs, and basic privacy policies—typically ranging from $1,500–$6,000 depending on complexity. For ongoing day-to-day counsel, we also offer fractional General Counsel plans starting at a set monthly retainer, which includes a defined number of attorney hours, regular check-ins, and priority response times, so you can budget legal costs with confidence as your company grows.
Entity formation package, core contracts, and email access for founder questions daily
Growth Counsel
For later-stage or fast-growing companies, we use a transparent blended model that combines fixed fees for well-scoped projects with clear hourly rates for open-ended or highly bespoke work. You’ll receive a written scope, fee estimate, and assumptions before we begin, and we never add surprise charges—any shift in scope is discussed and approved in advance. This approach gives you predictable pricing for routine matters while preserving flexibility for complex financings, M&A, or strategic negotiations.
Preferred counsel for financings, cap table reviews, and ongoing strategic advisory support
Hawthorne Legal Group 