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Lawyers for Company Formation · MOA AOA · Shareholders Agreement · ESOP

Lawyers for Company Formation legal precision at every step of your incorporation.

Company formation legal advisory in Mumbai and across India — co-founder agreements, MOA and AOA legal review, shareholders agreements, ESOP policy drafting, term sheet review, subscription agreements, and company law advisory for startups, JVs, and foreign companies incorporating in India.

Company formation is not just a registration exercise — it establishes the legal framework governing relationships between founders, investors, employees, and the company for years. The MOA defines the company's objects; the AOA governs management and share transfers. A shareholders' agreement (SHA) adds a private contractual layer covering investor rights, founder obligations, board composition, and exit mechanisms.

Legal documents accompanying company formation — MOA, AOA, SHA, co-founder agreement, ESOP plan, and subscription agreement — are frequently treated as afterthoughts or copied from templates. Ambiguous vesting clauses, missing anti-dilution rights, or silent MOA objects that prevent a new business line are discovered only during a dispute or investor due diligence — by which point the correction cost is many times the original legal fee.

Our company formation legal advisory covers co-founder agreement drafting with IP assignment and vesting, MOA object clause review, customised AOA drafting, SHA drafting for angel and VC rounds, ESOP plan and grant letter drafting, term sheet review, subscription agreement preparation, and company law advisory on director duties and governance.

Our Company Formation Legal Services

01

Co-Founder Agreement

IP assignment, vesting schedule, non-compete, and departure provisions.

02

MOA Object Clause Review

Legal review and drafting of objects to ensure all planned activities are covered.

03

AOA Drafting

Customised AOA with transfer restrictions, board composition, and reserved matters.

04

Shareholders Agreement (SHA)

SHA covering board rights, information rights, anti-dilution, and exit mechanisms.

05

ESOP Policy Drafting

ESOP policy with vesting schedule, exercise price, and grant conditions.

06

Term Sheet Review

Review of investor term sheets with negotiation advisory.

07

Subscription Agreement

Share subscription agreement for angel, seed, and Series A rounds.

08

Company Law Advisory

Director duties, compliance obligations, and corporate governance best practices.

Our Legal Advisory Workflow

1

Structure & Requirements

Understand business model, founder structure, and specific legal concerns.

2

Document Review

Review any existing drafts or templates before drafting.

3

Agreement Drafting

Draft legal documents with customised provisions for the specific business.

4

Review & Negotiation

Support review cycles and assist in negotiating key terms.

5

Execution & Records

Assist with proper execution and corporate records maintenance.

Benefits of Legal Precision at Formation

Correctly drafted MOA prevents rejection of future business activities
SHA protects founders from investor overreach and dilution
Co-founder agreement prevents disputes on IP and departure
ESOP plan designed correctly is tax-efficient
Term sheet review prevents signing unfavourable investor terms
Proper AOA avoids governance deadlocks
Investor due diligence passes smoothly with clean documents
Legal framework at start prevents expensive restructuring later

Frequently Asked Questions

Incorporation is handled by CAs and CSs. Legal documents — SHA, co-founder agreement, ESOP plan — benefit from legal drafting expertise. Our team provides integrated CA and legal advisory.

A private contract between shareholders covering board composition, voting rights, anti-dilution, drag-along, tag-along, and exit mechanisms. Needed whenever there are multiple shareholders with different interests.

Specifies that shares vest over time — typically 4 years with a 1-year cliff. Protects remaining founders and investors from a departing founder retaining full equity.

Employee Stock Option Plan grants employees the right to buy shares at a fixed price after vesting. Taxed as perquisite at exercise and capital gain on sale.

All current and foreseeable future activities — product lines, service categories, investments. Restrictive objects require an EGM and ROC filing to amend.

Need Legal Advisory for Your Company Formation?

From MOA and AOA to SHA and ESOP plans, our team provides the legal precision your company formation deserves.

Get Legal Advisory or call +91 9819 000 511