I've been trying to resolve this on my own but I'm stuck.
co-founder leaving before cliff. I've been dealing with this for about 5 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.
I have already done some research online but did not get a clear answer.
Should I hire a lawyer for this or try to handle it myself?
Small claims court update: filed my case, hearing is in 6 weeks. The filing fee was only $75 and I don't need a lawyer. The court clerk was actually very helpful in explaining the process. If your claim is under $10K (or $12.5K in some states), small claims is the way to go.
One thing worth mentioning: if the other party violates a settlement agreement, you can go back to court for enforcement. Make sure any settlement is in writing and signed by all parties. Verbal agreements are much harder to enforce.