--- title: Blog | Startup Law Resources | SPZ Legal | Ryan Shaening Pokrasso (2) description: SPZ Legal Blog provides entrepreneurs with useful information regarding incorporation, employment, funding, and IP. (2) --- [Skip To Content](https://spzlegal.com/blog/author/ryan/page/2#main-content) [![spz-legal-logo-2024](https://spzlegal.com/hubfs/logos/spz-legal-logo-2024.svg)](https://spzlegal.com/) - [Clients](https://spzlegal.com/our-clients) - [Featured Clients](https://spzlegal.com/our-clients) - [Case Study: Verto Education](https://spzlegal.com/verto-case-study) - [Case Study: Kong Studios](https://spzlegal.com/kong-studios-case-study) - [Case Study: WindBorne](https://spzlegal.com/windborne-case-study) - [Case Study: Tango](https://spzlegal.com/tango-case-study) - [Case Study: Sown To Grow](https://spzlegal.com/sown-to-grow-case-study) - [Case Study: Capture6](https://spzlegal.com/capture6-case-study) - [Case Study: Datava](https://spzlegal.com/datava-case-study) - [Case Study: Voxel](https://spzlegal.com/from-scrappy-startup-to-selling-to-fortune-100) - [Team](https://spzlegal.com/team) - [About Us](https://spzlegal.com/team) - [Becky Mancero](https://spzlegal.com/team/becky-mancero) - [David De La Flor](https://spzlegal.com/team/david-de-la-flor) - [Elizabeth Thorne](https://spzlegal.com/team/elizabeth-thorne) - [Gea Kang](https://spzlegal.com/team/gea-kang) - [Hannah Porter](https://spzlegal.com/team/hannah-porter) - [Hash Zahed](https://spzlegal.com/team/hash-zahed) - [Jessica Sulahian](https://spzlegal.com/team/jessica-sulahian) - [Morgan Kasenchak](https://spzlegal.com/team/morgan-kasenchak) - [Paige Southworth](https://spzlegal.com/paige-southworth) - [Ryan Shaening Pokrasso](https://spzlegal.com/team/ryan-shaening-pokrasso) - [Sam Taylor](https://spzlegal.com/team/sam-taylor) - [Tami Gore](https://spzlegal.com/team/tami-gore) - [Specialists](https://spzlegal.com/our-partners) - [Services](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services) - [Formation & Corporate](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/formation) - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/mergers-acquisitions) - [Funding](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/funding) - [Hiring & Equity Compensation](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/employment) - [Data Privacy](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/data-privacy) - [IP Protection](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/ip-protection) - [Commercial Agreements](https://spzlegal.com/business-law-services/sales-agreements) - [Startup Center](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center) - [Formation & Corporate](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/formation-and-corporate-topics) - [Mergers & Acquisitions](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/mergers-and-acquisitions) - [Funding](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/funding) - [Hiring & Equity Compensation](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/hiring) - [IP Protection](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/ip-protection) - [Data Privacy](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/data-privacy) - [Commercial Agreements](https://spzlegal.com/startup-center/commercial-agreements) - [Blog](https://spzlegal.com/blog) - [Contact](https://spzlegal.com/contact) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spz-legal) # Legal Blog Search ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI%20Savvy.png?width=760&height=428&name=AI%20Savvy.png) Why AI Founders Choose AI-Savvy Startup Lawyers | SPZ Legal Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Apr 16, 2026 If you're building a venture-scale company, speed is a competitive advantage. You're shipping products, closing customers, and making high-stakes decisions in days, not months. The last thing you ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/why-ai-first-founders-choose-ai-savvy-startup-lawyers) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Senior%20Startup%20Counsel%20(1).png?width=760&height=428&name=Senior%20Startup%20Counsel%20(1).png) Senior Startup Counsel Role at SPZ Legal Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Apr 16, 2026 We're thrilled to share an exciting update at SPZ Legal. Effective February 1, 2026, Gea Kang, Sam Taylor, and Hannah Porter have been promoted to the role of Senior Startup Counsel (SSC), joining ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/promotions-to-senior-startup-counsel-recognizing-experience-investing-in-careers) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2026%20Chambers%20blog.png?width=760&height=428&name=2026%20Chambers%20blog.png) SPZ Legal Recognized in Chambers Spotlight California 2026 Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Apr 13, 2026 We're thrilled to announce that SPZ Legal has once again been recognized in the Chambers Spotlight California 2026 Guide in the category of Startups & Emerging Companies — marking our second ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/spz-legal-earns-back-to-back-recognition-in-chambers-spotlight-california-2026) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Responsible%20AI.png?width=760&height=428&name=Responsible%20AI.png) Responsible AI Legal Considerations for Startups Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Apr 13, 2026 AI tools are no longer a competitive advantage reserved for well-funded tech giants — they're embedded in the daily operations of startups at every stage. From automating customer support and ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/responsible-ai-use-legal-considerations-startups) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Protecting%20Mission%20While%20Scaling.png?width=760&height=428&name=Protecting%20Mission%20While%20Scaling.png) How to Scale a Social Impact Startup & Protect Mission Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Feb 5, 2026 Founders of social impact startups almost always begin with a deep connection to a problem they’re trying to solve. Whether it’s climate change, economic inequality, access to work, or community ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/scaling-social-impact-startups-protect-your-mission) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Striga%20Acquisition-1.png?width=760&height=428&name=Striga%20Acquisition-1.png) SPZ Legal Advises Striga on Acquisition by Lightspark Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Dec 11, 2025 SPZ Legal is pleased to announce that we represented Striga, a leading blockchain infrastructure company, in its acquisition by Lightspark, a company building open payments for the Internet that are ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/striga-acquisition) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%20Blog%20Header%20Images%20(4).png?width=760&height=428&name=Copy%20of%20Blog%20Header%20Images%20(4).png) Paige Southworth Joins SPZ Legal as Startup Counsel Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Oct 23, 2025 We’re excited to welcome Paige Southworth to the SPZ Legal team as Startup Counsel! Paige is a corporate transactional attorney who advises emerging companies, entrepreneurs, and venture capital ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/paige-southworth-joins-spz-legal) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Handshake%20Deals%20Priced%20Rounds.png?width=760&height=428&name=Handshake%20Deals%20Priced%20Rounds.png) Startup Funding - Priced Rounds Explained: How Startups Sell Shares Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Sep 8, 2025 How and why startups use priced rounds to raise capital from investors. When you’re running a startup company and looking to secure your next round of funding, you’ll eventually encounter the term ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/priced-rounds-sellling-shares) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Best%20Lawyers.png?width=760&height=428&name=Best%20Lawyers.png) Sam Taylor & Becky Mancero Named Best Lawyers Ones to Watch Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Aug 22, 2025 We’re excited to share that Sam Taylor and Becky Mancero have been named in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Becky was recognized in the Corporate Law category and Sam was ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/best-lawyers-2025) ## [![](https://spzlegal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/landscape.png?width=760&height=428&name=landscape.png) M&A Success: Boulder Landscaping Acquired by Strata Ryan Shaening Pokrasso | Aug 22, 2025 When a business owner decides to sell, it’s more than just a financial transaction—it’s the culmination of years of work, client relationships, and growth. That’s why we were proud to represent ...](https://spzlegal.com/blog/boulder-landscaping-acquired-by-strata-landscape-services) [Previous](https://spzlegal.com/blog/author/ryan/page/1) [Next](https://spzlegal.com/blog/author/ryan/page/3) [![spz-legal-logo-2024](https://spzlegal.com/hubfs/logos/spz-legal-logo-2024.svg)](https://spzlegal.com/) Categories - [Funding](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/funding) - [Incorporation](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/incorporation) - [Employment](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/employment) - [Contracts](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/contracts) - [Data Privacy](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/data-privacy) - [Firm Culture](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/firm-culture) - [M&A](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/ma) - [News](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/news) - [Social Enterprise](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/social-enterprise) - [Acquired](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/acquired) - [Intellectual Property](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/intellectual-property) - [Client Engagement](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/client-engagement) - [Nonprofit](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/nonprofit) - [AI](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/ai) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/artificial-intelligence) Recent Posts - [Commercial and Technology Transactions Attorney Morgan Kasenchak Joins SPZ Legal](https://spzlegal.com/blog/morgan-kasenchak-joins-spz) - [Becky Mancero Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Second Consecutive Year](https://spzlegal.com/blog/becky-mancero-best-lawyers-ones-to-watch-2026) - [What We Fix in Diligence Over and Over Again Before a Financing or Exit](https://spzlegal.com/blog/startup-legal-issues-before-financing-exit) - [Becky Mancero on the Melissa Widner Podcast: Cap Tables, Equity Mistakes, and AI in the Legal World](https://spzlegal.com/blog/becky-mancero-on-the-melissa-widner-podcast-cap-tables-equity-mistakes-ai-in-the-legal-world) - [Spinning Out a Product Into a New Startup: Legal Issues Founders Need to Solve Early](https://spzlegal.com/blog/spinning-out-product-new-startup-legal-guide) - [Converting an LLC to a Corporation: When It Makes Sense and How to Do It Without Creating a Mess](https://spzlegal.com/blog/converting-llc-to-corporation-startup-guide) - [The Role of LOIs in M&As: Structuring Letters of Intent](https://spzlegal.com/blog/the-role-of-lois-in-mas-structuring-letters-of-intent) - [Exit Structures: Mergers, Acquisitions, & Tax Treatment](https://spzlegal.com/blog/exit-structures-mergers-acquisitions-tax-treatment) Locations **San Francisco Bay Area, California** **Milwaukee, Wisconsin** **Los Angeles, California** **Denver, Colorado** **Miami, Florida** **Austin, Texas** Contact Us [Email](https://spzlegal.com/contact) Follow Us - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spz-legal) Startup Topics - [Formation](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/incorporation) - [Funding](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/funding) - [Employment](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/employment) - [Intellectual Property](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/intellectual-property) - [Data Privacy](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/data-privacy) - [Commercial Agreements](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/contracts) - [M&A Law](https://spzlegal.com/blog/tag/ma) © 2026 [SPZ Legal, P.C. 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