Founders Agreement
Founders agreements that protect the team that builds.
Draft co-founder agreements for startup clients with equity splits, vesting schedules, IP assignment, roles and responsibilities, and departure provisions — in the time it takes to schedule a call.
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The Attorney's Challenge with Founders Agreements
Startup attorneys draft dozens of founders agreements each year, often starting from scratch or adapting outdated templates that miss critical provisions. Co-founders who skip formal agreements early create disputes that land on your desk later — equity ownership conflicts, IP assignment gaps, and departure terms that were never documented. JR3 drafts founders agreements that address the provisions most likely to cause disputes, based on the specific ownership structure, contribution types, and business model you describe for each client.
Co-Founder Terms
From Handshake to Enforceable Agreement
Describe your client's founding team, equity split, and business structure. JR3 drafts a founders agreement with vesting schedules tied to continued contribution, IP assignment clauses that cover prior and future work, role definitions with decision-making authority, and departure provisions covering voluntary exits, termination for cause, and disability or death. Review the terms, adjust vesting cliffs, and export an agreement ready for client signature.
Equity splits and vesting schedules
Percentage allocations with cliff periods, monthly or quarterly vesting, and acceleration triggers for acquisition or termination without cause
IP assignment and prior work
Assignment of all founder-created IP to the company, with clear treatment of prior inventions and side project carve-outs
Roles and decision-making authority
Defined responsibilities, voting thresholds for major decisions, and deadlock resolution mechanisms
Departure and buyback provisions
Voluntary departure, termination for cause, and forced buyback terms with valuation methods and payment structures
Two-founder startups
Equal or negotiated equity splits with vesting schedules, mutual non-compete provisions, and clear buyback terms if one founder exits early.
Multi-founder teams
Three or more co-founders with differentiated equity based on contribution type, tiered vesting, and voting thresholds for major company decisions.
Technical co-founder joins later
Adding a technical co-founder after incorporation with IP assignment for prior contributions, adjusted vesting start dates, and cliff provisions.
Pre-revenue founder splits
Sweat equity arrangements with milestone-based vesting, deferred compensation terms, and provisions for converting to standard equity at funding.
Inside JR3's Platform
Save Rules to Library
Save negotiation playbooks to your team library for consistent contract handling across engagements.
Custom Agent Library
Create specialized AI personas for different contract types with custom system prompts and strategies.
Enterprise-grade security for your documents
Your confidential documents are processed in transit and never stored. Zero-retention architecture, SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR compliant.
What Is JR3 and How Does It Draft Founders Agreements?
JR3 is an AI-centric document editing platform built for legal professionals, with specialized agents that understand the legal requirements of co-founder relationships. It drafts founders agreements with enforceable vesting schedules, proper IP assignment clauses, defined roles and decision-making frameworks, and departure provisions that protect both the company and departing founders. Attorneys using JR3 produce client-ready agreements that prevent the disputes that derail early-stage companies.
Learn more about Startup Legal Documents
Common questions
What should a founders agreement include that an operating agreement doesn't?
A founders agreement addresses the personal commitments between co-founders that operating agreements typically skip. This includes vesting schedules for founder equity, IP assignment for work done before and after incorporation, non-compete and non-solicit obligations specific to founders, and detailed departure mechanics including what triggers a forced buyback and how equity is valued. Operating agreements govern the entity; founders agreements govern the people.
How does JR3 handle vesting schedules for founders?
Can a founders agreement be created after the company is already operating?
What happens to a departing founder's equity?
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Serve More Founders Without Growing Your Team
Draft founders agreements for startup clients with enforceable vesting, IP assignment, and departure provisions — ready for review and client signature in minutes.