- Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Start-Ups & Emerging Businesses
Bold Ideas. Smart Legal Strategies.
Helping Entrepreneurs Turn Vision Into Reality
A great idea isn’t enough to build a successful startup. You need the right legal foundation to protect your business, secure funding, and scale efficiently. The startup world moves fast, and missteps in business structuring, contracts, or intellectual property can mean costly problems down the road.
At Danna McKitrick, we work with entrepreneurs, innovators, and high-growth companies to eliminate legal roadblocks and turn challenges into opportunities. Whether you’re launching your first company or scaling your next big idea, our startup-savvy attorneys help you navigate the legal landscape with confidence.
What’s the Right Legal Structure for Your Startup?
Choosing the right business structure impacts your taxes, liability, and ability to raise capital. Many startups rush this decision, only to face legal headaches later. We help you evaluate the best structure for your business, including:
- LLC (Limited Liability Company) – Flexible, simple, and protects personal assets.
- C-Corp – The gold standard for startups seeking venture capital.
- S-Corp – Tax advantages for smaller businesses with limited shareholders.
Partnership or Sole - Proprietorship – Best for small ventures with minimal liability concerns.
Our attorneys break down the pros and cons of each option, ensuring your business starts on solid legal footing while staying flexible for future growth.
Securing Funding & Investor Relations
Every startup needs funding, but taking money without a solid legal strategy can be a disaster. Whether you’re raising capital from angel investors, venture capitalists, or private equity, the right legal approach protects your stake and sets clear expectations. We help startups:
- Negotiate investor agreements that align with your long-term goals.
- Draft term sheets & cap tables to structure ownership fairly.
- Ensure compliance with securities laws to avoid regulatory issues.
- Structure equity incentives for employees without diluting founder control.
By getting these agreements right from the start, you attract investors with confidence while safeguarding your vision and leadership role.
How Do You Protect Your Startup’s Big Idea?
Your intellectual property could be your startup’s most valuable asset. Are you protecting it? If you don’t secure your brand, technology, or creative work, someone else might. Worse, you could face expensive legal battles over rights to what you thought was yours.
We help startups lock down their IP by:
- Trademarking business names, logos, and branding materials.
- Copyrighting software, content, and creative assets.
- Drafting strong NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) to protect proprietary information.
- Creating licensing & technology agreements that maximize revenue and security.
Startups that prioritize intellectual property protection early gain a competitive edge and avoid costly legal disputes down the road.
Scaling Smart: Contracts, Compliance & Employment
As your startup grows, so do the legal complexities of running a business. Without proper agreements and policies in place, contracts can go wrong, employees can create liability, and regulatory missteps can stall growth.
We provide strategic guidance on:
- Employment contracts & independent contractor agreements to prevent disputes.
- Vendor, supplier, and client agreements that protect your interests.
- HR policies & compliance with wage laws, benefits, and workplace protections.
- Risk management & dispute resolution to keep your business running smoothly.
By proactively addressing these challenges, startups avoid expensive mistakes and stay focused on growth.
Your Legal Partner for Every Stage of Business
We pride ourselves on becoming a trusted member of your team, helping you make informed decisions that drive success. Our attorneys understand the fast-paced, high-risk nature of startups, and we work with you to eliminate obstacles, minimize risk, and position your business for long-term growth.
Whether you’re securing funding, protecting your ideas, or expanding your operations, our team is ready to help you build something extraordinary, without the legal uncertainty.
Areas of Practice
Trusted
Expertise
Expertise
Danna McKitrick was founded on three core principles: practical guidance, complete service, and approachable counsel.
Today, those values have helped us grow into one of the most respected mid-sized firms in St. Louis, known for delivering strategic legal solutions with the depth of a large firm and the personal commitment of a trusted advisor.
Practical
We provide clear, realistic legal strategies designed for real-world success, combining insight with decisive action.
Complete
Our collaborative team approach ensures every challenge is met with the full strength of our diverse legal expertise.
Approachable
We build strong client relationships, serving as trusted advisors who are as invested in your success as you are.
Danna McKitrick is a mid-sized law firm delivering sophisticated, results-driven legal counsel across a wide range of practice areas. We provide strategic guidance to businesses and individuals, combining deep expertise with responsive service to achieve superior outcomes.
Contact
- Danna McKitrick, P.C.
- 314.726.1000
- info@dmfirm.com
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7701 Forsyth Blvd., Ste. 1200
St. Louis, MO 63105
© 2025 Danna McKitrick, P.C. Attorneys at Law | Legal Disclaimers