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Претензия по спору основателей (Founder Dispute)
Досудебное требование при конфликтах между co-founders: несоблюдение vesting, removal from Board/officer positions, breach of Founders Agreement, equity dilution, oppression. Защита прав технических и бизнес-основателей стартапов.
2-4 Типичное число co-founders
25-50% Founder equity split
4 years Стандартный vesting
📄 Обзор споров 📝 Шаблоны ❓ FAQ
Типичные споры между основателями
Когда возникают founder disputes

Вы co-founder стартапа с существенной equity stake (обычно 20-50%). Relationship с другими founders ухудшилось: разногласия о стратегии, contribution disputes, один founder хочет выдавить другого, или нарушаются условия Founders Agreement. Часто сопровождается termination от officer/employee роли и попытками забрать unvested equity.

Основные сценарии
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Removal from Officer/Board Position
Majority founders голосуют за removal вас как CEO/CTO/President или с Board of Directors без "cause", нарушая Founders Agreement или corporate governance procedures. Требование reinstatement.
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Vesting Acceleration Denial
При removal или forced resignation ваш Founders Agreement предусматривает acceleration unvested shares, но компания отказывает, claiming termination "for cause" или оспаривая triggering event.
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Breach of Founders Agreement
Co-founders нарушают обязательства: не выполняют agreed roles/responsibilities, занимаются competing business, breach confidentiality, или игнорируют decision-making procedures (unanimous consent clauses).
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Dilution Without Consent
Majority founders или Board проводят financing round, issue options новым сотрудникам, или amend stock plan без вашего consent, diluting вашу ownership вопреки protective provisions в Founders Agreement.
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Forced Buyout - Unfair Valuation
Founders Agreement содержит buyout clause при certain events (departure, deadlock). Remaining founders insist на buyout по book value или artificially low valuation вместо FMV.
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IP Assignment Dispute
Спор о том, кто создал key IP (code, designs, patents). Departing founder утверждает, что IP создано до formation компании или не properly assigned. Remaining founders требуют assignment или injunction.
Founder disputes escalate быстро

В отличие от employee-employer споров, founder disputes часто включают (1) control борьбу за Board, (2) significant equity stakes, (3) IP ownership вопросы, (4) competing business concerns. Раннее legal action критично чтобы preserve права, особенно если вас пытаются squeeze out до vesting cliff или financing event.

Шаблоны претензий
Wrongful Removal - Board/Officer Position
I represent [YOUR NAME], co-founder and [TITLE] of [COMPANY], in connection with [his/her] wrongful removal from [his/her] officer position and Board seat. On [DATE], the Board voted to remove [YOUR NAME] as [CEO/CTO] and from the Board of Directors. This removal violates Section [X] of the Founders Agreement dated [DATE], which requires [unanimous consent of all founders / supermajority vote / "cause" as defined] for removal of a founder from officer or director positions. The stated reasons for removal ([DESCRIBE]) do not constitute "Cause" as defined in Section [X] of the Founders Agreement. [YOUR NAME] was not provided notice or opportunity to cure as required by the Agreement. We demand immediate reinstatement of [YOUR NAME] to [his/her] positions as [CEO/CTO] and Board member, with full authority and compensation restored.
Cite specific sections Founders Agreement re: removal procedures
Vesting Acceleration - Founder Termination
Section [X] of the Founders Agreement and [YOUR NAME]'s Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement provide for 100% acceleration of unvested shares upon termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason. [YOUR NAME] was terminated on [DATE] without Cause (or constructively terminated through material breach including [reduction in role/compensation/responsibility]). As of the termination date: - Total founder shares: [NUMBER] - Vested shares: [NUMBER] - Unvested shares subject to acceleration: [NUMBER] [COMPANY]'s refusal to recognize acceleration (and assertion that termination was "for Cause") is unsupported. We demand immediate cancellation of the repurchase right over the accelerated shares and delivery of updated stock certificates.
Founders обычно имеют stronger acceleration rights чем employees
Breach of Founders Agreement - Role & Duties
[CO-FOUNDER NAME] has materially breached the Founders Agreement by: (a) Failing to devote full-time efforts to [COMPANY] as required by Section [X], while simultaneously [operating competing business / accepting employment elsewhere]; (b) Breach of confidentiality provisions (Section [X]) by [disclosing proprietary information / sharing customer lists with third parties]; (c) Unilateral decision-making in violation of Section [X] requiring unanimous founder consent for [specific major decisions]. These breaches have caused material harm to [COMPANY], including [lost business opportunities / competitive damage / investor concerns]. [YOUR NAME] demands that [CO-FOUNDER] immediately cease the breaching conduct and cure all breaches within [10] days. Failure to cure will result in [YOUR NAME] exercising remedies under Section [X] of the Agreement, including [termination for cause / forced buyout / specific performance].
Document specific breaches with dates and evidence
Forced Buyout - Valuation Dispute
The remaining founders have invoked the buyout provisions of Section [X] of the Founders Agreement, offering to purchase [YOUR NAME]'s [X]% equity stake for $[AMOUNT]. This valuation is grossly inadequate and does not reflect Fair Market Value: (a) The offered price of $[X] per share is based on book value, ignoring [recent Series A valuation of $Y per share / acquisition offers / revenue multiples]; (b) Section [X] requires valuation "as determined by independent appraisal" - no appraisal was conducted; (c) The timing of this buyout (immediately following [DESCRIBE - e.g., your removal, funding round close]) suggests bad faith attempt to deprive [YOUR NAME] of value. [YOUR NAME] demands either (i) withdrawal of the buyout offer and restoration of full founder rights, or (ii) good-faith negotiation of buyout price based on independent third-party valuation as required by the Agreement.
Challenge both timing и methodology of valuation
IP Assignment Dispute - Demand for Recognition
[COMPANY] has demanded that [YOUR NAME] execute a retroactive IP assignment agreement covering [software code / designs / inventions] created during [YOUR NAME]'s tenure as founder. [YOUR NAME] disputes that [COMPANY] has rights to [SPECIFIC IP]: (a) The IP was created prior to [COMPANY]'s formation on [DATE], and was [YOUR NAME]'s pre-existing intellectual property; (b) [YOUR NAME] never executed an IP assignment agreement (or executed agreement with carve-outs for pre-existing IP); (c) [YOUR NAME] contributed the IP to [COMPANY] under an implied license, not outright assignment. Any use of [YOUR NAME]'s IP by [COMPANY] beyond the scope of the implied license is copyright/patent infringement. [YOUR NAME] demands: - Immediate cessation of use of disputed IP, OR - Negotiation of a fair licensing agreement, OR - Recognition that [YOUR NAME] assigned the IP in exchange for founder equity (making forced buyout inappropriate). If [COMPANY] continues to use the IP without resolving this dispute, [YOUR NAME] will pursue injunctive relief and damages.
IP disputes хорошо leverage в founder negotiations
Нужна помощь с founder dispute?
Помогаю founders защитить equity и позиции при конфликтах с co-founders.
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Чек-лист
Документы для сбора
FAQ

Зависит от Founders Agreement и corporate docs. Delaware/CA law по умолчанию позволяет shareholders remove directors majority vote. Но многие Founders Agreements требуют supermajority или unanimous consent для removal founder-director, или define "cause" required для removal. Проверьте ваш agreement.

Common в European/UK founder agreements, реже в US. "Good leaver" (voluntary departure, retirement, death, disability) обычно keeps vested shares или gets FMV buyout. "Bad leaver" (termination for cause, breach, competing business) теряет unvested И может быть forced to sell vested по book value. US agreements обычно менее harsh но могут иметь similar repurchase rights.

Зависит от (1) Founders Agreement non-compete clause, (2) jurisdiction. California: non-competes generally unenforceable (CA Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600) except при sale of business. Delaware/NY: reasonable non-competes enforceable. Даже в CA: non-solicit employees/customers и confidentiality enforceable. Также fiduciary duty не compete пока вы founder-employee.

Зависит от IP Assignment Agreement. Стандартная практика: founders assign all pre-existing и future IP компании. Если вы не подписали IP assignment, или IP создан для другого проекта — вы можете иметь права. Ключевое: timing создания, purpose, использование company resources. Часто disputes решаются retroactive license/assignment с compensation.

До выхода: (1) получите written confirmation vested shares, (2) запросите cap table, (3) exercise options если applicable, (4) проверьте repurchase rights. При выходе: negotiate separation agreement, release claims взаимный, accelerated vesting если возможно. После: сохраните документы, не нарушайте confidentiality/non-solicit.

Контакты

Помогаю founders в спорах с co-founders по equity, removal, vesting disputes.

Email: owner@terms.law

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