"Morrison in the Morning"
Every month, skilled business lawyer Joe Morrison serves up essential insight into legal issues to fuel your startup success.
Location
Online
About this event
Ready to brew up a bold legal foundation for your startup? Join us for "Morrison in the Morning," a monthly virtual series where skilled business lawyer Joe Morrison serves up essential insight into legal issues to fuel your startup success.
Pour yourself a coffee and log on for tips that will help your Michigan startup thrive!
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June 12, 2025
BOARD & GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALS
Learn how to build and manage an effective board to support your startup’s growth. This session will cover the key roles of directors, advisors, and board observers; how to structure your board for early-stage success; and how to navigate fiduciary duties and other legal obligations. You’ll also gain insights into building strong, productive relationships with your board as your company scales.
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August 14, 2025
ENTITY MAINTENANCE 101: What Startups Get Wrong After Formation
Avoid common post-formation missteps with this overview of legal maintenance basics. Learn how to manage operating or stockholder agreement issues, handle employee or founder departures, and stay on top of annual filings and compliance to keep your startup in good standing.
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September 11, 2025
EARLY-STAGE FUNDING AGREEMENTS: SAFEs, Notes, Friends & Family Rounds
Understand the legal mechanics of early-stage fundraising tools like SAFEs and convertible notes. This session covers risks in commonly used templates, what founders often overlook, and how to approach early rounds with friends, family, or angel investors.
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October 9, 2025
TERMS & POLICIES: Website Terms, Privacy, and Data Laws for Startups
Learn what terms and policies your website needs—and what’s unnecessary. This session covers legal requirements for terms of use, privacy policies, and data practices, helping startups meet compliance obligations and reduce risk without overcomplicating.
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November 13, 2025
CO-FOUNDER AGREEMENTS & EQUITY SPLITS: Legal Must-Haves
Get the legal building blocks for a strong co-founder relationship. Learn how to structure equity grants, define vesting terms, and document expectations up front to avoid misalignment and disputes as your startup grows.
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December 11, 2025
IP PROTECTION BEYOND TRADEMARKS: Licensing & IP Ownership Basics
Understand the broader landscape of intellectual property. This session explains how licensing works, how to maintain ownership rights, and how startups can unintentionally lose IP through poorly structured agreements.
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January 8, 2026
INSURANCE BASICS, PRODUCT LIABILITY, & SERVICE RISK
Learn how to assess and manage customer claims risk through the right insurance strategies. This session covers coverage considerations for physical products, digital apps, services, and professional liability across startup types.
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February 12, 2026
CAP TABLE CLEANUP: Legal Pitfalls in Founder and Advisor Equity
Avoid early equity decisions that can create future problems. This session covers how to identify and fix common cap table issues, manage advisor grants, and prepare for future fundraising with clean and compliant ownership records.
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March 12, 2026
EXIT & ACQUISITION BASICS: Legal Prep Even Early Startups Should Know
Start preparing for acquisition from day one. Learn what legal diligence involves, what records matter most, and how early-stage decisions can support or hinder a smooth exit process later on.
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DISCLAIMER: These presentations should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own lawyer on any specific legal questions you may have concerning your situation.
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Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III is supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan State University Research Foundation.
The MSU Research Foundation supports the Michigan State University ecosystem with resources that increase the impact of research and innovation. The Foundation achieves its mission through grant programs that contribute over $10 million annually to the University, entrepreneurial programming and early-stage investments that accelerate technology transfer and startup growth throughout Michigan, and environments where startup businesses and collaborators can thrive. The Foundation's work is made possible through its stewardship of a flexible and sustainable endowment, nourished by over 50 years of licensing revenues and investment returns. Learn more about the MSU Research Foundation and its impact at msufoundation.org
Organized by
The Michigan State University Research Foundation supports the MSU ecosystem with resources that increase the impact of research and innovation.