Helpful Resources

Alykhan Sunderji talks Stack Ranking with Virginia Backaitis at ReWorked As the world of talent management evolves, new and old practices come and go, with some being more controversial than others. One such practice that has resurfaced in recent years is stack ranking, also known as forced ranking. This method involves ranking employees in a given team or department based on their performance, with the aim of identifying the top performers and potentially weeding out…

Navigating Merger Deals in Economic Uncertainty In his recent article for Bloomberg Law, Alykhan Sunderji, the founder of Sunder Legal, recently published an article for Bloomberg Law regarding common pitfalls to be avoided in acquisition agreements. As economic conditions become increasingly uncertain, clients have been engaging us to renegotiate or seek redress under previously negotiated acquisition agreements. We want to ensure that our clients are aware of these potential issues so that they can avoid…

Four Takeaways about Tik Tok Influencers and Unions Business Insider and Alykhan Sunderji discussed recent efforts by Tiktok influencers to form a union.  You can read the article here by Tanya Chen. Alykhan also spoke with Samson Amore about this topic in DotLa magazine.  You can read that article here. Alykhan helped build the Influencer Marketing program at Amazon and regularly advises startups and other companies on their influencer engagements.  You can read more about…

Simple Agreements for Future Equity – a Primer Alykhan Sunderji discusses Simple Agreements for Future Equity (“SAFEs”) with the Chicago Daily Herald in a recent finance article.  Alykhan Sunderji gave his insights on the utility of SAFE notes, including the benefits early stage investors can gain from holding a SAFE note.  Sunder Legal and its attorneys have broad experience working with startups to raise this kind of financing. Learn more about SAFE notes by reading…

American Banker Magazine – NFTs and the Future of Banking On September 15, 2022, American Banker Magazine and Alykhan Sunderji discussed the future of NFTs in light of changing economic conditions. You can dive deeper into this exciting topic by reading the entire article here. Key Takeaways NFTs are more than collectibles. Consumers are familiar with NFTs because they have made an impact in the collectibles market.  However, the same features that make NFTs useful…

Forming a US startup as a Canadian or non-US Person We work with a number of Canadian clients who want to form a US entity for their startup.  US VC and Angel investors favor investing in Delaware corporations when they invest in US startups, and it is no different with Canadian startups. Can a Canadian or Foreign Person form a Delaware C-Corp Absolutely yes. Most non-US persons can own a US company.  The most challenging…

Puget Sound Business Journal and Alykhan Sunderji discuss Seattle Startup Scene On July 12, 2022, Alykhan Sunderji sat down with the Puget Sound Business Journal to discuss the strengths he sees in the regional startup market. You can read the article here. Main Takeaways Be a Shark In the downturns, the sharks survive. Former In-House Counsel have a Unique Offering While there are many good law firms in Seattle, former in-house counsel understand that even…

Alykhan Sunderji discusses Buy Now Pay Later with Finance Magnates In a recent edition of Finance Magnates, Alykhan Sunderji gave his insights on the Buy Now Pay Later space, specifically whether Apple’s entry would hurt existing market participants.  Alykhan previously led the legal team for Amazon Pay, and Sunder Legal supports a number of startups in the consumer spending space. A compelling experience, but competitors (and regulators) still have a chance In his comments, Alykhan…

Starting a business in Washington State The right structure for your business depends on a number of factors that you may need to discuss with your attorney and tax advisor.  Below, we’ve provided information on the four main ways to operate a business: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability (LLC), and Corporation (Corp). As a rule of thumb (and again – you should obtain legal advice for your own circumstance): Startups that plan to raise equity…

Non-compete agreements between employers and employees are prohibited in Washington except under certain earning thresholds.  These thresholds are established in RCW 49.62.020 (for employees) and RCW 49.62.030 (for independent contractors). Employees – must earn more than $100,000 Contractors – must earn more than $250,000 However, unlike in other jurisdictions that have prohibited non-compete agreements more broadly (California), Washington law permits non-compete agreements when related to purchasing or divesting an ownership interest.  RCW 49.62 clarifies: A…