Areas of Practice

Corporate Securities

 

Every company in America needs to have a competent corporate securities lawyer working with them, if they want to succeed. Someone who knows how to deal with the complexities of the federal and state securities laws, without busting the budget. Someone who can form your company from scratch, without fudging it up. Someone who knows the ins and outs of raising capital, via private placement transactions, or public offerings. Jeff Harder, founder of Harder.Legal, is that special, senior, savvy lawyer who can do both, and do so effectively and efficiently. Jeff has probably formed, or fixed, over a hundred companies during his 40 plus years of practice, everything from Form D’s to Schedule G’s, Form S-3’s to Schedule D’s. Forms 3, 4 and 5. S-1’s. S-8’s. Harder.Legal is always there for you, to make sure it provides its clients with the best service, most efficiently and effectively, bar none.

Technology

 

In today’s inter-connected world, technology is never more valuable. Every child today has a portable device in their hands before they can usually talk, or even walk, it seems. Tragedies like the coronavirus pandemic have again demonstrated the importance of medical technology, software products that alert us to new problems, or solutions, scientific discoveries, cures for cancers, new vaccines, no matter what it is, virtually everything around us today is driven by technology, and Jeff Harder was fortunate to have gotten bitten by the technology bug and had an opportunity to get involved with it from a legal standpoint while in Chicago in the early ‘80’s at Amoco, doing computer hardware and solar energy deals, to Mitchell Energy & Development in The Woodlands, Texas, where he helped George Mitchell (visionary founder of The Woodlands and the inventor of fracking and horizontal drilling) and Marty Sutter (early investor and well=known venture capitalist now with Essex Woodlands Health Ventures) complete five or six technology transfer transactions from the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest collection of medical research and treatment facilities. Technology is in his blood.

Venture Capital

 

Having represented venture capitalists on deals from the mid-80’s, through the present, Harder.Legal has just about seen it all, and done most of it. Deep experience on the side of the venture capitalists has not only helped Jeff Harder be more able to explain to entrepreneurs the usual deal structures, terms, and even valuations, but also allows him to establish good working relationships with venture capitalists and their lawyers when he’s on the other side, your side. After all, it takes money, in most all cases, to get your product or idea to market, and Harder.Legal will be sure it does everything to make that happen, recognizing, of course, at all times, that it’s your final decision.

Corporate Formation

 

So many questions regarding type of entity, should I form an LLC or a C corporation, or not form a company at all. What will it cost me, how do I go about it, what’s involved. Harder.Legal loves to simplify this as much as possible, and works with entrepreneurs to build the right business foundation to attract investors as well as employees and grow the business. It’s critical to get the corporate structure right the first time, but even if it isn’t, Jeff Harder has assisted numerous start-ups in relocating to another state and converting from one form of entity such as an LLC to another.

Employment Matters

 

Employee agreements, non-competes, non-solicitations, confidentiality agreements, director agreements, stock option plans and agreements, consulting agreements, assignment of inventions agreements……the list goes on, and there probably isn’t an employment related agreement that Harder.Legal hasn’t seen or drafted. While usually limiting representation to the employer side, Jeff Harder also recognizes the benefit of everyone on the team being on the same page, and he works hard to make sure that he has his client’s best interests at heart, while still keeping the boat moving forward smoothly and efficiently.

Financing Terms and Transactions

 

.Harder.Legal benefits from over 30 years of experience with venture capitalists, public capital markets, private angel investors, and corporate venture arms, to bring a wealth of knowledge on deal terms as well as types of transactions. Jeff Harder’s experience with angel groups such as the Houston Angel Network, one of the country’s most active angel groups, as well as his own investment experience has provided him with an up to date, relevant list of potential angel investors and contacts in the investment community, in addition to giving him extensive insights into the financial terms and trends.

Contracts, External and Internal

 

[Internal corporate governance documents such as Stockholder Agreements if you are a C corp, or Company Operating Agreements if you are an LLC, voting agreements, buy/sell agreements, even partnership agreements are right up the alley for Harder.Legal. In addition, all sorts of business-related agreements for a wide variety of industries, such as distribution related agreements, reseller agreements, sales rep agreements, marketing agreements, OEM agreements, supply agreements, manufacturing agreements, transportation agreements……you name it, and Harder.Legal has probably seen it and drafted it. Over 40 years of legal experience in drafting and editing and critiquing contracts from the software industry, biotech industry, energy industry, and even entertainment industry goes into every agreement Harder.Legal participates in, resulting in incredible efficiency and excellent results.