Speaking Engagement
Keep up with the latest legal and industry insights, news, and events from MoFo
09 Sep 2025 - 19 Nov 2025
Morrison Foerster, in partnership with Bridge Bank and Escalon, offered its ScaleUp Speaker Series in Austin, a complimentary 10-part series that provided a legal roadmap for entrepreneurs looking to scale their companies. This weekly Tuesday seminar equipped participants with the knowledge needed to manage the legal aspects of launching, funding, and growing a startup, while providing insights to help them avoid common mistakes.
You’re Incorporated, Now What? – September 9, 2025 – Participants learned why different types of legal entities impact the ability to raise capital, the importance of choosing financial partners carefully, and common financial pitfalls. The session was hosted at Antone’s, followed by a Happy Hour celebrating the start of the series.
Protecting Your IP – September 16, 2025 – Participants learned the basics of the different types of intellectual property, the importance of proper IP ownership, when to undertake a Freedom to Operate (FTO) analysis, and how to avoid patent and trade secret missteps that could prevent them from protecting their IP.
Raising Angel Investment (Including Convertible Note Financing) – September 23, 2025 – Participants learned about the most common angel investment structures and practices in seed-stage investing (including debt, equity, and hybrid approaches) and received an introduction to the preferred stock terms that form the basis of venture capital investments.
Raising Venture Capital Investment (Deal Terms and Structures) – September 30, 2025 – Participants learned the basic concepts, structures, and mathematics behind venture capital investments, including capital structures, term sheets, and capitalization and liquidation models.
Venture Debt 101 – October 7, 2025 – Participants learned how venture debt differs from other types of loans, along with its potential benefits, ideal timing, key considerations, and potential pitfalls.
Most Common Legal Mistakes of Startup Entrepreneurs – October 14, 2025 – Participants learned about common legal mistakes, their impact on startups, and strategies for avoiding them.
Pitch Day – October 23, 2025 (No ScaleUp session this week) – Morrison Foerster hosted its semiannual Pitch Day, an official event of Austin Tech Week, where selected technology and life sciences companies pitched to a panel of venture capital investors.
Startup Equity Incentives – October 28, 2025 – Participants learned the fundamentals of customary equity incentives and how they are used to attract and retain top talent in a competitive market. The session covered founder vesting, restricted stock, and stock options, including ISOs and NSOs.
Technology Transactions – November 4, 2025 – Participants learned about the legal and commercial issues that can arise in connection with the acquisition, licensing, development, and commercialization of technologies and intellectual property assets.
Preparing for Exit – November 11, 2025 – Participants learned about the differences among acquisition structures, fundamental mergers and acquisitions (M&A) terms, and the key provisions of definitive M&A agreements. The session also covered the steps involved in preparing for an IPO, including the process, timing, and life as a U.S. public company.
Fireside Chat with a Founder and Investor – November 19, 2025 – This special session featured Morrison Foerster partner Shannon Sibold in conversation with guest speakers Mike Meyers, CEO and co-founder of Reflex, and Rajiv Bala, founder and general partner at Clutch VC. Participants learned from their combined experience about preparing for a financing round, connecting with the right investors, conducting due diligence, and negotiating a term sheet
