Start Smart Legal Series

Whether you’re launching a side hustle, exploring a social impact idea, or just curious about the legal side of startup creation, the Start Smart Legal Series is the perfect place to begin. This series of interactive seminars introduces you to the fundamentals of starting a brand-new business venture. You will learn everything from how to protect your ideas to creating a team and building a strong foundation for success.

Led by local legal experts, each session breaks down a key topic in clear, practical terms. You don’t need any prior experience, just an interest in learning how to bring an idea to life. Come to one session or attend the whole series, whatever works for you! These workshops are open to students and community members and are designed to support early-stage ideas and curious minds alike.

Let your journey begin with a smart start.

Spring 2026

All Spring 2026 Start Smart Legal Series sessions will be held virtually from 5:00-6:15 P.M. on their respective dates. Start Smart Legal Series recordings will NOT be made available to the public due to the sensitive nature of the information shared. Program resources may be provided upon request at the discretion of the presenters.

Registrations will be available soon. Stay tuned!

Check back in the spring for future program announcements. If you’re signed up to receive email updates or following @pittbigdea on social media, we’ll keep you in the loop with upcoming opportunities at the Big Idea Center so that you don’t miss out!

Worst Mistakes Made by Startups

January 27, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

A panel of lawyers will share the ‘horror stories’ of mistakes that startups have made and the consequences. Learn from the mistakes of others so you can avoid the pitfalls.

Building Your Team

February 10, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

You’ve incorporated and just got into an accelerator. You are in discussions with a potential co-founder. Now what? Learn the ins and outs of staffing your startup, including employment law issues involving: adding co-founders; working with advisors; interns v. volunteers; employees v. independent contractors; invention assignments, non-disclosure agreements, non-competes, and the use of equity to attract and retain key personnel. 

Starting a Business with an F-1 Student Visa

February 24, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

Students with a Visa can legally start businesses as well as work on a startup team. Come learn the details of how to do this without violating your student status and immigration options after graduating.

How to Structure Your Capital Raise | 2 Part Workshop

March 24 & April 7, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

Please note: How to Structure Your Capital Raise will take place over 2 sessions. In order to attend Part 2: Negotiating the Term Sheet Workshop, attendees must first attend Part 1: The Fundamentals. Attendees for Part 1 will receive information on how to log into Part 2 upon completion of the session.

During Part 1 (March 24), you will learn about the legal and economic/business issues associated with raising funds from:

  • Friends and Family
  • Seed Funding (including from University, government, and non-profit funding)
  • Incubators and Accelerators
  • Angel Investors v. Venture Capitalists
  • Series A, B, etc.

In Part 2 (April 7), you will join us for a fun negotiation exercise in which you’ll play the role of startup or investor. We’ll begin the evening with a quick overview of the legal issues associated with investing in startups. We’ll then divide into investor and startup groups, who will meet separately with lawyers to decide on the terms they want. We’ll end the evening with a negotiation led by these lawyers and workshop volunteers who will play the part of founders and investors.

Previous Sessions (Fall 2025)

Introduction to Startup Law

September 16, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

In this session, our startup law team will present a lightning round of the key legal needs and issues for a startup: founders agreements, equity splits, company formation, handling IP, raising capital, building a team, etc. Then, you will get to ask YOUR most pressing legal questions. This session will be the basis of future Start Smarts which will go into each of the issues more in depth.

Starting a Business with an F-1 Student Visa

October 7, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

Students with a Visa can legally start businesses as well as work on a startup team. Come learn the details of how to do this without violating your student status and immigration options after graduating.

How to Form Your Startup Company | 2 Part Workshop

October 28 & November 18, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

Please note: How to Form Your Startup Company will take place over 2 sessions. In order to attend Part 2: The Workshop, attendees must first attend Part 1: The Basics. Attendees for Part 1 will receive information on how to log into Part 2 upon completion of session.

During Part 1 (October 28), you will learn the basic legal issues involved with new company formation, including choice of entity (LLC, C-Corp, social enterprise options such as non-profit 501c, Benefit Corporation, B Corps certification, and other company structure alternatives), basics of founders’ agreements, splitting equity, and employee vesting. Participants will receive a legal road map and checklist to begin working on prior to “How to Form Your Startup Company, Part 2: Workshop”.

In Part 2 (November 18), your team will be matched with one or more law students to design a “legal roadmap” that will recommend the best entity option for your startup and the basics of a Founders Agreement. You will also receive guidance on other legal issues on your ‘checklist’ – all under the supervision of experienced startup lawyers!

How to Handle Your (and others’) Intellectual Property

December 2, 5:00-6:15 P.M.

Intellectual Property is an asset to be protected. This session will cover how to deal with IP issues including: 

  • Different ways to protect your company’s IP (copyrights, trade secrets, patents, trademarks, etc.) 
  • Do you really need a patent? 
  • Difference between a provisional patent and a formal patent filing 
  • Developing a patent strategy 
  • How to handle IP created by class projects when one or more of the student team members want to pursue commercialization 
  • Tips on searching the US Patent Office Database (for prior ‘art’ e.g. existing patents) 
  • What to expect after filing a patent (time and expenses)