Helping Founders Build Companies Without Legal Guesswork | Della Torre Law
You're building fast, raising capital, and avoiding mistakes—while legal, tax, and compliance issues quietly pile up in the background. Della Torre Law helps U.S.-based startup founders from pre-seed to Series A create the legal foundation their companies need to scale with confidence.
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The Reality Founders Are Facing
What's Actually Happening
You're building products and selling before your legal structure is mature. Early decisions around entity type, equity splits, and IP ownership become nearly impossible to undo later. Legal requirements grow faster than your company feels ready to handle them.
Most founders don't realize there's a problem until an investor asks uncomfortable diligence questions, a co-founder dispute surfaces, or a regulator sends an unexpected notice.

The Key Tension: You know legal structure matters—but it always feels less urgent than growth, until suddenly it becomes both urgent and expensive.
Common Pain Points for U.S. Startup Founders
Entity & Ownership Problems
  • Unsure whether to form an LLC, C-Corp, or another structure
  • Early entity choice misaligned with fundraising or exit plans
  • Equity splits made informally without vesting schedules
  • Missing founder agreements create dispute risk
Investor Readiness Issues
  • Cap tables are unclear or disorganized
  • Missing or inconsistent documentation stalls conversations
  • "We'll fix it later" threatens valuation or kills deals
  • Confusion around SAFEs, convertible notes, and financing basics
Compliance Overload
  • State and federal filings pile up silently
  • Uncertainty around ongoing obligations and BOI reporting
  • Fear of penalties without realizing you're out of compliance
  • No system for tracking legal requirements as you scale
Tax & Cross-Border Confusion
  • Unclear how legal structure affects taxes
  • Conflicting advice between lawyers and CPAs
  • International contractors or investors raise unexpected questions
  • No clear ownership of oversight
The Emotional Reality
Beneath these practical issues lives constant low-grade anxiety that something important is being missed. There's fear of discovering mistakes too late, distrust of law firms due to cost and complexity, and a nagging feeling that legal help slows the company down instead of supporting forward momentum.
Why These Issues Become Expensive Later
Legal Mistakes Compound Over Time
Small structural issues become major problems as your company grows. What might cost a few thousand dollars to fix today could require tens of thousands and significant business disruption to resolve later.
Investors Don't Fund Uncertainty
Cleanup during due diligence puts you in a weak negotiating position. Messy cap tables, missing agreements, and compliance gaps can derail funding rounds or significantly reduce your valuation.
Compliance Penalties Apply Regardless
Regulators and tax authorities don't consider company size or intent. Penalties, fines, and potential loss of good standing can hit hard whether you're a three-person startup or preparing for Series A.

Silent Risk: Many legal problems don't show symptoms until growth happens. By then, fixing them is far more complex and costly than building correctly from the start.
A Smarter Way to Handle Startup Legal Work
What Founders Actually Want
You need clarity instead of legal jargon. You want guidance aligned with business goals, not theoretical perfection. The legal structures you build should support growth, fundraising, and flexibility—not create roadblocks.
Most importantly, you want predictable costs, clear scope, and coordination with your accountants and advisors. No more working in silos. Legal support should feel like a strategic advantage, not a necessary burden.
Business-First Thinking
Legal strategy that serves your company's goals and growth trajectory
Plain English Communication
Clear explanations without unnecessary complexity or jargon
Coordinated Approach
Seamless integration with your tax, accounting, and business advisors
How We Support Startup Founders
This isn't about legal paperwork execution. This is foundational business infrastructure for startups—built to support your journey from formation through funding and beyond.
Strategic Business Formation
We structure your entity correctly from day one, choosing the right formation type and state to align with your fundraising plans, tax strategy, and long-term vision. When needed, we handle restructuring to fix early mistakes before they become expensive problems.
Founder Agreements & Equity
Clear documentation prevents disputes before they start. We create founder agreements, design equity structures with proper vesting schedules, and establish frameworks that protect all parties while supporting team growth and future hiring.
Investor-Ready Structure
We build the corporate documentation investors expect to see: clean cap tables, proper stock issuance, board governance, and financing-ready structure. When diligence begins, you'll be prepared, not scrambling.
Ongoing Compliance Support
Nothing slips through the cracks. We track state filings, federal requirements, BOI reporting, and evolving obligations so you maintain good standing as you scale. Compliance becomes automatic, not anxiety-inducing.
Guidance That Grows With You
Legal support should match your stage—not lag behind or race ahead. We provide strategic counsel that evolves from formation through early growth, fundraising, hiring, and expansion, adapting as your needs change.
Meet Franco Della Torre, Esq.
Franco Della Torre is the Managing Partner at Della Torre Law, where he advises startups on tax-efficient business formations, Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exempt structures, and corporate financing transactions that stay fully compliant with U.S. securities regulations.
His approach combines deep technical expertise with practical business thinking—helping founders navigate complex legal and tax considerations without losing momentum.
Background & Experience
Franco previously served as an international corporate restructure attorney at DLA Piper and at Saint Joseph International Group, managing complex international tax and estate planning matters, as well as cross-border corporate restructures, mergers, and acquisitions.
This background gives him unique insight into how early structural decisions affect long-term outcomes—from fundraising and exits to international expansion and tax optimization.
QSBS Expertise
Structuring companies to maximize tax-free exit potential under Section 1202
Securities Compliance
Ensuring financing transactions meet federal and state regulations
Cross-Border Experience
Understanding international implications for U.S. startup structures
How the Process Works
Discovery & Clarity
We start by understanding your company, goals, current stage, and upcoming risks. This conversation uncovers what matters now versus what can wait, giving you immediate clarity on priorities and potential vulnerabilities.
Structure & Strategy
Next, we align legal, business, and tax considerations into one cohesive plan. You'll understand exactly what structures you need, why they matter for your specific situation, and how they support your fundraising and growth objectives.
Implementation & Continuity
Finally, we execute, document, and maintain everything without disrupting your momentum. You keep building while we ensure your legal foundation stays solid, compliant, and investor-ready as you scale.
Simple. Predictable. Startup-friendly.
What Founders Gain
After Your Legal Foundation Is Built Correctly
You gain confidence when speaking with investors because your structure is clean and your documentation is complete. The constant low-grade anxiety about what might be wrong disappears. Surprises become rare as your company scales because systems are in place to catch issues early.
Most importantly, you can focus your energy where it belongs: on product development, customer acquisition, and company growth. Your legal foundation supports long-term success, not just day-to-day survival.
Investor Confidence
Answer diligence questions quickly with complete, organized documentation
Reduced Anxiety
Sleep better knowing your compliance and legal obligations are handled
Fewer Surprises
Proactive systems catch potential issues before they become problems
Focus on Growth
Spend time building your business instead of worrying about legal risks
When to Start the Conversation
Common Triggers That Indicate It's Time
Preparing to Raise Funds
Investors will scrutinize your structure and documentation. Getting your legal house in order before outreach prevents delays and protects your valuation during negotiations.
Adding a Co-Founder or Issuing Equity
Bringing on team members or advisors requires clear equity agreements and vesting schedules. Informal arrangements create massive risk for future disputes and complicate fundraising.
Hiring Employees or Contractors
Proper employment structures, equity plans, and IP assignments become critical. Mistakes here can create tax issues, compliance problems, and ownership disputes down the line.
Expanding Into New Markets
Operating in multiple states or international markets triggers new registration, tax, and compliance requirements. Understanding these obligations before expansion prevents costly corrections later.
Realizing "We Should've Sorted This Already"
That nagging feeling that something important might be wrong is usually correct. The earlier you address structural issues, the less expensive and disruptive the fixes become.

The Right Time: The best time to build your legal foundation is early—the second-best time is before investors, partners, or regulators start asking uncomfortable questions.
Take the First Step
Get Clarity on What Matters Now
Schedule a consultation to understand your current legal position and identify risks before they become expensive problems. We'll discuss your company's stage, goals, and immediate priorities, giving you a clear roadmap for building the right foundation.
No legal jargon. No pressure. Just straightforward guidance on what your startup needs to support confident growth and successful fundraising.
Schedule a Consultation
Book a conversation to review your current structure and identify gaps
Get a Clear Assessment
Understand what matters now versus what can wait until later stages
Build With Confidence
Move forward knowing your legal foundation supports your growth plans
Important Legal Information
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by viewing this content or contacting our firm through this website. Legal advice can only be provided after a formal engagement and thorough review of your specific situation.
Every company's legal needs are unique. Outcomes depend on specific facts, circumstances, and applicable laws. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You should consult with a qualified attorney before making any legal decisions affecting your business.
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