Nuts & Bolts - Critical Steps to Building a Successful Start-Up

Are you running a start-up or considering it?

How are you structuring ownership rights? Option grants?

What are reasonable terms for your angel investors?

Can you protect your company's name, secrets and inventions?

Starting a company takes more than just a good idea. It takes a strong

foundation incorporating an effective legal structure, timely financing

and valuable intellectual property rights to give your company the

basics needed to stand the test of time. This informative session will

arm you with the tools and tips necessary to operate a viable start-up,

while avoiding many common pitfalls. Please join Morgan Lewis attorneys

Peter Watt-Morse, Eric Kline, Paul De Rosa, and John Ferreira for this

program, which will answer important issues related to:

Corporate Structure/Ownership

Stock Option Plans

Seed Funding/Angel Rounds

Intellectual Property Protection and Licensing

From FORE Systems, Transarc, and Carnegie Group to FreeMarkets, Laurel

Networks, Akustica, and Vivisimo, Morgan Lewis has represented, and

continues to represent many of Pittsburgh's most exciting technology

companies. In addition to instructive presentations from the team from

Morgan Lewis, a panel of seasoned Pittsburgh entrepreneurs, Raymond

Houck, Automated Cell; Peter Lucas, Maya Design; Ken Gabriel, Akustica;

Chris Valas, CoManage Corporation; and Raul Valdes-Perez, Vivisimo, will

provide their real-world experience regarding key start-up issues.

Location: Carnegie Mellon University - Wean 7500