Most founders only start thinking about legal structure when incorporation becomes urgent, or when an investor asks a cap table question nobody has a clean answer to. In this masterclass, Dr. Sophie-Charlotte, Jules Michels and Marie Hillebrand walk founders through choosing the right legal entity, structuring founder ownership and holding companies, key incorporation documents, and the full notary-to-Commercial-Register process, plus how to spot cap table and shareholder agreement issues before your next round. Closes with live Q&A.
Register for EventMost founders only start thinking about legal structure when incorporation becomes urgent, or when an investor asks a cap table question nobody has a clean answer to. By then, questions around the right legal entity, shareholder structure, founder holdings, or the notary appointment can quickly turn into roadblocks.
The right legal setup isn't paperwork to defer. It's the foundation for fundraising, governance, and every stage of growth that follows, whether you're incorporating for the first time or already running your GmbH.
This masterclass gives you that foundation before you need it, from three lawyers who build it for founders, investors, and venture-backed startups every day.
Hosted by Dr. Sophie-Charlotte von Bierbrauer zu Brennstein, Associate Corporate Law at Gleiss Lutz, together with Jules Michels and Marie Hillebrand, Associates Corporate Law at V14, who advise founders, investors, and venture-backed startups on incorporations, financing rounds, governance, and exits every day.
Dr. Sophie-Charlotte is a fully qualified German lawyer since 2024 who studied in Berlin, Wiesbaden, and Melbourne.
Jules Michels, LL.M. (USC), has been an Attorney at Law in the State of New York since 2018 and a fully qualified German lawyer since 2020, having studied in Berlin and Los Angeles and previously worked at Morrison Foerster.
Marie Hillebrand, LL.M. (UCT), is a fully qualified German lawyer since 2025 who studied in Berlin, Lisbon, and Cape Town, and previously worked on V14's IP/IT team and at Hengeler Mueller.
Together, we'll walk through the entire incorporation process in Germany and what comes after, helping you understand the key legal decisions to make before and after signing at the notary. The session closes with an interactive Q&A: bring your questions and get practical, market-tested advice, not legal theory, from lawyers who work in the startup ecosystem every day.
Bring your questions and receive practical, market-tested advice, not legal theory, from professionals who work in the startup ecosystem. Learn about common legal pitfalls, current market standards, and how to avoid costly mistakes early on (or fix them before they become expensive later).
✅ A clear understanding of the legal structure that fits your venture
✅ A practical roadmap for incorporating a company in Germany
✅ Confidence in structuring founder ownership and holding companies
✅ Clarity on the key legal documents you'll sign during incorporation
✅ Practical insight into investor expectations and common founder mistakes
✅ Founders preparing to incorporate a company in Germany
✅ Early-stage founders thinking about legal structure, governance, and fundraising
✅ Founders who have already incorporated and want to check whether their setup holds up to investor scrutiny
This workshop is powered by LawYeah, the platform that matches clients with the right specialized lawyers based on expertise, not networks, free for clients. It is organized in cooperation with Legal Starter Pack, Dr. Sophie-Charlotte, Jules Michels and Marie Hillebrand (V14).