Winter 2019 Newsletter - Stock Option Counsel® - Startup Offer Letter? The Equity Issues Hidden Between the Lines
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Hello Startup Community!
If you have an Offer Letter from a startup, you may notice that it’s light on information about stock options or other equity. See this new post on the Stock Option Counsel Blog to learn the key issues hidden between the lines. It covers:
Grant Timing. The exercise price is not negotiable, but you will want to follow up after your start date to be sure that the board grants the options promptly. Delays are common and can increase the exercise price dramatically and reduce the value of your stock options.
Protection for Unvested Shares. The standard vesting schedule will not protect unvested shares in an acquisition. Consider negotiating for double trigger acceleration upon change of control.
Clawbacks and Other Red Flags. The equity incentive plan and stock option agreement are usually not provided with the Offer Letter. However, it makes sense to request and review those documents before signing the Offer Letter to identify clawbacks for vested shares or any other red flag terms
Tax Structure. The right tax structure will balance your interests in total value, low tax rates, tax deferral, limited tax risks and investment deferral.
You can see the full post on the Stock Option Counsel Blog, along with other great information on startup equity negotiations. Happy reading.
Stock Option Counsel, P.C. - Legal Services for Individuals. Thank you for your enthusiasm for my practice and for the Stock Option Counsel Blog! I will continue to send quarterly updates on important topics in the market for startup equity for individual founders, executives and employees. Please keep in touch.
Best,
Mary
Mary Russell | Attorney and Founder
Stock Option Counsel, P.C. | Legal Services for Individuals
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Have an Offer Letter from a Startup? The Equity Issues are Between the Lines
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Working for a startup? Learn more about the fine print terms of an offer letter. Plan ahead to protect your equity stake.
If you have an Offer Letter from a startup, you may notice that it’s light on information about stock options. You may see a few sentences noting that (1) the company will recommend to the board that the grant be made at the first market value on the date of grant; (2) the option will vest monthly over four years with a one-year cliff; and (3) the option will be governed by the company’s equity incentive plan and your stock option agreement. It sounds simple. But the key issues are hidden between the lines.
Change of Control Protections for Unvested Shares
A standard vesting schedule does not provide protection for unvested shares in the event the company is acquired. If you are joining in a senior position or as an early stage employee, consider negotiating for a double trigger acceleration upon change of control to protect the right to earn unvested shares. The most robust double trigger language would provide that 100% of unvested shares will accelerate if you are terminated or constructively terminated as part of or at any time following a change of control. See this blog post for more information on change of control terms for startup equity offers.
Clawbacks for Vested Shares
The equity incentive plan and stock option agreement are usually not provided with the Offer Letter unless requested, as the official equity grant is not made until after the start date. However, these agreements contain important details about the grant, so it makes sense to review them before agreeing to the number of shares or signing the Offer Letter.
For example, the equity incentive plan and stock option agreement may give the company the right to forcibly repurchase shares from the employee after termination of employment, even if they are vested shares of restricted stock or vested shares issued upon exercise of options. See this post for some examples of how those clawbacks may be drafted. Clawbacks dramatically limit the value of the equity, as the most significant increase in the value of startups has historically been at the time of an exit event. If this term, or any other red flag term, appears in the form documents, it makes sense to negotiate these out of the deal or provide for alternative compensation to make up for the potential loss in value before signing the Offer Letter.
Tax Structure
The Offer Letter may not include the terms of the tax structure, but if you have any leverage on those terms the Offer Letter negotiation is the time to address them. The right tax structure will balance your interests in total value, low tax rates, tax deferral, limited tax risks and investment deferral. This balance is different at each company stage. For example, at the earliest stage startups you may be able to meet all those goals with the purchase of Restricted Stock for a de minimis purchase price. At mid-stage startups you might prefer to have Incentive Stock Options with an extended post-termination exercise period to defer the investment until a liquidity event. At late-stage startups you might prefer Restricted Stock Units for a full value grant. See this blog post on Examples of Good Startup Equity Design by Company Stage and this blog post on The Menu of Stock Option Exercise Strategies.
Grant Timing
The company will set the exercise price at the fair market value ("FMV") on the date the board grants the options to you. This price is not negotiable, but to protect your interests you want to follow up after your start date to be sure that the board makes the grant of the options soon after your start date. If they delay granting you the options until after a financing or other important event, the FMV and the exercise price will go up. This would reduce the value of your stock options by the increase in value of the company’s common stock during that time.
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.