Sutter Law, P.C.

04/24/2026

"I'll pay them in equity!" Founders and early employees frequently work for “free” or for sweat equity, viewing their unpaid labor as a badge of honor or a necessary bridge to a seed round. But, this team player mentality is actually a legal time bomb waiting to explode.

Many founders believe that if a team member agrees to work for free in the early stages of a startup, that agreement is a binding contract. Under California law, this is a fallacy. Minimum wage and overtime protections are non-waivable statutory rights. Even if a co-founder signs a document stating they are happy to work for equity alone, that agreement is void as a matter of law.

Contact Sutter Law today if you are involved in a founder dispute and believe you need legal assistance navigating with the complexities of wages, and check out Tyler Smith's Blog Post on this exact topic on our website https://sutterlegal.com/business-law-blog/

04/18/2026

Meet Shirley Roberson, Sutter's own Associate Attorney. Shirley comes to us from a Seattle-based firm focused on consumer and commercial bankruptcies. Shirley also has background in media law firm (IP licensing, artists, etc), cutting edge media, VR , and Augmented Reality. Her passions are reading, ice hockey, and making businesses grow so owners can focus on the business and not the legal stuff.

Reach out to Shirley today for your legal needs:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-341-2888

04/17/2026

It only took you half an hour to read and understand the terms of the contract completely. Then why did it take your attorney more than two hours to review the agreement and make a few changes? This week take a peek inside the mind of an attorney as they review a legal document.

Shirley Roberson shares insights this week into why you need the eyes of an attorney on your legal documents on her blog post. https://sutterlegal.com/business-law-blog/

Sutter Law will go over your documents with confidence and expertise. Reach out to Shirley today for your own peace of mind.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-341-2888

03/13/2026

Hopefully it is not layoff season, but it is a real-life challenge that companies may face. Is your company considering a reduction in force? Legal review should happen before the rollout begins, not after employees have already been notified. Don't find your company accused of discrimination because you need to implement layoffs. Be proactive!

Jennifer Mancera is a well-versed attorney in California labor laws. Contact [email protected] to learn more about legally compliant RIF planning in California

03/12/2026

Did you know a dog’s sense of smell is around 100,000 times more sensitive than a human’s?

A big congratulations to Simon for launching the new company Fido Finds Mold. Get your mold checked, and meet a sweet puppy at the same time. We truly love this because it's environmentally friendly, effective and there's a cute dog!

Fido Finds Mold is a Bay Area mold inspection company that uses a certified mold detection dog to locate hidden mold in homes and commercial buildings. Their dog is trained to detect the scent signatures produced by mold growth, allowing building owners to identify problem areas without unnecessary demolition. Check them out at FidoFindsMold.com.

03/04/2026

Last Wednesday, February 25, Bay Angels hosted its first pitch event of 2026. The event was filled with genuine conversations, thoughtful questions, and meaningful connections which is exactly the goal of our pitch events. The quality of the startups that pitched was outstanding. John Khazraee, MBA,...

03/01/2026

Had the pleasure of being a judge for the Bay Angels Startup pitch night with George Parrish. Thank you to all of the innovative founders.

02/20/2026

If you stay, you may be miserable, but you know you'll have to pay if you break contract. Not anymore!

Have you reviewed your offer letters, bonus agreements, and training reimbursement forms lately? Did you sign a "Pay to Stay" with your employer or issue one to an Employee?

If your hiring or retention documents require an employee (or other worker) to repay money if they leave before a set date, AB 692 should pique your interest.

Read this article by Jennifer Mancera and contact us for legal guidance today! https://sutterlegal.com/business-lw-blog/

02/16/2026

Immigration protection is front and center in California, and Employers are paying attention. SB 294, known as The Workplace Know Your Rights Act, requires companies to provide employees notice of their rights every year in language they can understand.

This is the kind of change that can slip through the cracks because it doesn’t feel like a “big” policy overhaul, at least not until you’re asked to prove you delivered the notice. Although the notice covers a list of workplace rights, the one getting the most attention is immigration- related rights.

Contact Jennifer Mancera to ensure your company is ready for SB 294 and don't get caught off guard. Find out more in Jennifer's article

Sutter Law is a business law firm, We focus on transactional and corporate law with an emphasis on IP, Startups, Investments, and M&A.

02/08/2026

Are you an employer, or employed? Well, that pretty much covers most of us. With California's ever changing and high stakes wage and labor laws, questions arise, and we must protect our businesses and ourselves! Jennifer Mancera's extensive background in CA wage and labor laws is exactly what you need to ensure you can confidently face daily challenges when applying California’s laws in the workplace.

Contact Jennifer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-341-2888