Overview
Startups die from avoidable legal mistakes more often than from bad ideas — a missing founders' agreement, a careless term sheet, unprotected IP or non-compliance that surfaces during due diligence. K & K Associates is the legal partner founders bring in early to make sure none of that happens.
From A-197, LGF, Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024 — within 3 km of Saket District Court, 12 km of the Delhi High Court (Sher Shah Road) and 8 km of the Supreme Court of India, we support early and growth-stage startups across incorporation, fundraising, IP, employment and compliance — and we appear for them when disputes or enforcement become necessary.
We speak founder, not just legalese. Our advice is fast, commercial and proportionate to stage — a seed-stage company does not need the documentation of a Series C, and we calibrate accordingly while protecting the things that genuinely matter for the next round.
From Incorporation to Scale
- Choice of entity and incorporation (Pvt Ltd, LLP, OPC)
- Founders' agreements — equity split, vesting, roles and exits
- Co-founder separation and cap-table clean-ups
- Statutory registrations and Startup India recognition
- Ongoing secretarial and ROC compliance
Fundraising & Investment Documents
- Term-sheet review and negotiation support
- Share Subscription and Shareholders' Agreements (SSA/SHA)
- Convertible instruments — CCPS, SAFE-style notes, CCDs
- Liquidation preference, anti-dilution and exit clauses explained in plain terms
- Investor due-diligence readiness and disclosure schedules
ESOPs & Team
We design and document ESOP pools and grant letters, advise on vesting, cliff and exercise mechanics, and structure employment, consultant and advisor agreements with proper confidentiality, IP-assignment and non-solicit provisions — so the company owns what it pays for.
Protecting the IP That Is the Company
For most startups, the IP is the business. We secure trademarks for the brand, assign founder- and contractor-created IP to the company, and put confidentiality and IP-assignment terms into every relevant agreement — coordinating with our dedicated IP practice.
Statutes & Regulations
Key laws governing this practice.
Who This Is For
Audiences we typically advise in this area.
- First-time founders incorporating and splitting equity
- Startups raising angel, seed or venture funding
- Companies setting up or revising ESOP pools
- Founders navigating co-founder exits or cap-table issues
- Growth-stage startups preparing for investor due diligence
Recent Outcomes
Anonymised matter highlights.
Seed Round Closed on Founder-Friendly Terms
Reviewed and renegotiated a seed term sheet, improving liquidation-preference and board terms, and drafted the SSA/SHA to close the round cleanly and on schedule.
Co-Founder Exit Without a Cap-Table Crisis
Structured a departing co-founder's exit with share buy-back and vesting clawback, protecting the cap table ahead of the next funding round.
Outcomes are matter-specific. Past results are not a guarantee of future performance.
Why K & K
Strategic differentiators in this practice.
- Stage-appropriate advice — no over-lawyering early-stage companies.
- Plain-English explanation of term-sheet and SHA economics.
- Diligence-ready documentation that survives the next round.
- Integrated IP protection from day one.
- A firm that can also litigate if a dispute ever arises.
Frequently Asked
Questions our clients ask first.
Serving Delhi NCR & Beyond
Our office at A-197, LGF, Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024 is the operating base for clients across Delhi NCR — Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad — and pan-India through a vetted local-counsel network. We routinely appear at Saket, Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini and Dwarka District Courts; the Delhi High Court; and the Supreme Court of India.
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