Startup Legal Counsel and Fundraising Lawyers in Japan

Committed to your startup's growth

Startup legal work means arranging day-to-day contracts, terms, employment and IP, together with the procedures and contracts for financing, stock options and IPO preparation, to fit each stage of the company's growth.

From incorporation, founders' agreements, J-KISS and preferred-share financing, stock options, terms of use, labor and IP through to IPO preparation, we resolve the legal issues of each growth stage in step with your capital policy and the pace of your business, quickly and at reasonable cost.

Slow contract reviews are holding the business back
You worry that financing, stock options or your cap table can't be fixed later
Your legal setup is not keeping pace with your growing organization

Why LegalAgent

LegalAgent's legal support helps your business grow faster

Fast answers keep decisions moving, fixed fees keep cash free for growth, and attorneys who know the investor side support your financing.

01Speed

Traditional law firms~~3–5 business days~~

LegalAgent1 business day as a rule

Fast decisions keep the business moving

We answer within one business day as a rule. For financing rounds, we plan the schedule backwards from the closing date.
02Cost

Financing document review (typical traditional fee)~~JPY 500,000–1,000,000 + hourly~~

LegalAgent (fixed fee)JPY 150,000

Lower legal costs leave more for growth

Reviews of the investment agreement, shareholders' agreement, distribution agreement and articles of incorporation are a fixed fee that includes revisions. You can engage us without a retainer.
03Negotiation
- VCs
- CVCs
- Corporates
Attorneys who know the investor side move your financing forward

We also act for investors in contract negotiations, so we frame the negotiation points with both sides' perspectives in mind.

We have supported 65 financing matters since 2024, on both the issuer and investor side.*

* Approximate figures based on matters handled by our firm; actual figures vary by matter. Amounts exclude consumption tax; English-language documents are charged at twice the listed amount.

How it works

The AI Agent does the research; attorneys focus on judgment and negotiation

The AI Agent handles searches and first drafts; attorneys make the legal calls on your capital policy and lead negotiations with investors.

AI Agenthandles the work

Searches past matters and templates
First drafts of investment agreements and terms
Issue spotting and similar-contract checks

Attorneysmake the calls

Legal judgment grounded in your capital policy and timeline
Frame the issues for negotiations with investors
Take responsibility for the final legal judgment and the deliverable

DAY 0 (same day)By DAY 1 (next business day)

DAY 0Request received
DAY 0AI Agent first pass
DAY 0Attorney review
By DAY 1Delivery

Attorneys make the final callAn attorney checks every deliverable and takes responsibility for it.
Your inputs are not used to train AIOn top of attorneys' statutory duty of confidentiality, we work in an environment where your inputs are not used to train AI.
An AI Agent built in-houseOur own engineers develop it. Information Security Policy

Case study

Why startups and investors both choose us

Startup / TCGPRO Inc.

Contract review in about one business day, for about JPY 10,000

Item	Before	After
Standard review	4–5 business days	About 1 business day
Express review	2–3 business days	About 1 business day
Fee per contract review (excl. tax)	JPY 30,000–50,000	About JPY 10,000

“We now get review results back in roughly one business day. The cost is about JPY 10,000 per contract review, which feels like one-third to one-quarter of what we paid before. Both the turnaround and the price have been a great help to us.”
Kyotaro Kai / Director (translated from Japanese)

Source: TCGPRO Inc. case study (interviewed on August 25, 2026) Read the case study

Boost Capital (investor side)

Faster from investment decision to execution

“We can understand legal risks quickly at a fixed fee, which has made the path from investment decision to execution dramatically faster.”
(translated from Japanese)

Financing deals we can disclose

View all representative work

From incorporation through IPO, M&A and beyond: the legal work every stage needs

Our support continues past IPO and M&A. The same team handles everything from post-IPO corporate legal work to group restructuring.

Stage 01Founding
- Articles and governance structure
- Founders' agreement
- Contract templates
Stage 02Seed
- J-KISS issuance package
- Terms of use and privacy policy
- Employment and contractor agreements
Stage 03Series A
- Investment agreements and preferred shares
- Stock options (tax-qualified)
- Legal DD support
Stage 04Growth
- Contract playbook
- HR systems and rules
- IP and trademark strategy
Stage 05IPO prep
- Governance and internal rules
- Full review of labor and contracts
- Listing review
Stage 06Post-IPO and M&A
- Disclosure and shareholder meetings
- M&A and group restructuring
- Ongoing corporate legal work

How to choose

What to check when a startup chooses a law firm or outside counsel

Name recognition and the size of the retainer alone do not tell you whether a firm fits your stage. Comparing the points below on the same terms, through the first consultation and the quote, makes the choice easier.

Point	What to check	At LegalAgent
Scope	Which legal questions and contract reviews the monthly fee covers, and which financing or registration work is quoted separately	The monthly plans cover day-to-day contract review and legal questions; financing document review, stock option grants and similar matters are fixed fees per matter.
Response time	When the clock starts, the difference between a first response and a final answer, and how to flag urgent matters	We answer within one business day as a rule. When a financing closing or other deadline is close, we present a schedule worked back from that date.
Deliverables	Word tracked changes, comments for the counterparty, and an internal explanation of the risks	We deliver a Word file with tracked changes, comments for the counterparty and an internal decision memo.
Financing experience	Which rounds and contract types the firm has handled, issuer-side and investor-side experience, and whether it manages the closing	We handle J-KISS, investment agreements and preferred shares, and stock option design, and also support VCs, CVCs, corporate investors and other investors in contract negotiations.
Fee terms	What the monthly fee covers, unused amounts, re-reviews, English-language contracts, and overruns	Spot work is a fixed fee that includes revisions. Unused amounts under a monthly plan carry forward for three months, and English-language documents are charged at twice the listed amount.
Information handling	Which cloud and AI tools are used, and how your inputs are handled	On top of attorneys' statutory duty of confidentiality, our AI Agent runs in an environment where your inputs are not used for training.

Retainer or spot work: which fits when

You do not have to sign a retainer as soon as you incorporate. Depending on where the company is, you can choose spot work or a monthly retainer, or combine the two.

No outside shareholders yet, and few business contracts: Spot work. Settle what is hard to change later first, such as the founders' agreement and your first contract templates.
A one-off J-KISS or stock option grant coming up: Spot work. A fixed fee per matter, set before we start.
Contract negotiations, hiring-related employment questions and financing preparation all under way at once: A monthly retainer. You can keep consulting attorneys who know your contract history and capital policy.

Pricing

Startup legal fees (spot work and retainer)

Use us for spot work only, on a monthly retainer, or a combination of both.

SpotFixed fee per matterFinancing document review, share issuance procedures, tax-qualified stock option grants and more, at fixed fees that include revisions.
MonthlyJPY 10,000/month and upA monthly retainer connected through Slack. We support day-to-day contract review and legal questions as your outside legal department. Unused amounts carry forward for three months.

Spot work (examples)

Fixed fees, revisions included. English-language contracts are charged at twice the listed amount.

Service	LegalAgent (fixed fee)	Typical traditional law firm
Financing document review (investment agreement, shareholders' agreement, distribution agreement, articles of incorporation)	JPY 150,000	JPY 500,000–1,000,000 + hourly fees
Tax-qualified stock options: issuance and agreement drafting	JPY 100,000	JPY 300,000–500,000 + hourly fees
NDA review / drafting	JPY 10,000 per document	JPY 20,000–50,000 + hourly fees
Terms of use, Specified Commercial Transactions Act notice and privacy policy (set of three)	JPY 70,000 per set	JPY 100,000–300,000 + hourly fees

Other spot work, and what the monthly plans include

Service agreement review	JPY 15,000 per document	JPY 50,000–80,000 + hourly fees
Share issuance documents and registration	JPY 50,000	JPY 100,000–200,000
Tax-qualified stock option procedures and registration	JPY 50,000	JPY 100,000–200,000

Monthly plan	Monthly fee	Meetings	Services included
Lite	JPY 10,000/month	30 min	JPY 10,000 of work
Basic	JPY 50,000/month	60 min	JPY 60,000 of work (JPY 10,000 discount)
Standard	JPY 100,000/month	90 min	JPY 130,000 of work (JPY 30,000 discount)
Enterprise	From JPY 300,000/month	120 min	JPY 400,000 of work (JPY 100,000 discount)

All amounts exclude consumption tax. English-language documents are charged at twice the listed amount. We also handle contracts and legal questions not listed above; some matters are quoted individually depending on the scope and your business.

Team & Record

Attorneys who know startups and business development handle your matters

Financing matters: 65Since 2024 · issuer and investor side
Startup legal matters: 200+
Contract reviews and drafts: 2,000+
Legal and investment DD: 20+

* Approximate figures based on matters handled by our firm; actual figures vary by matter.

Engineers

Shinya Makita and Sota Miya build our product on the same team as the attorneys.

Startup legal guide

Outside counselHow startups should choose outside counsel: comparison points for incorporation, fundraising and IPO preparation

How to choose outside counsel that fits your growth stage, with comparison points on scope of support and fees.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can we consult you from incorporation onward?

Yes. We support you stage by stage, from articles and governance structure around incorporation, founders' agreements, shareholder structure and contract templates through to preparing for a seed round.

Is a retainer required? What does it cost?

No retainer is required. Matter-based work such as financing document review and stock option grants is a fixed fee that includes revisions, set before we start. If you want ongoing advice, the monthly retainer starts at JPY 10,000, and you can combine it with spot work.

When does a startup need outside counsel on retainer?

You do not need a retainer from the day you incorporate. While there are no outside shareholders and few business contracts, you can engage us for spot work such as the founders' agreement and contract templates. Once contract negotiations, hiring-related employment questions and financing preparation start running at the same time, a retainer lets you keep consulting attorneys who already know the background.

What should a startup compare when choosing a law firm?

Compare, on the same terms, the scope (what the monthly fee covers and what is quoted separately), how response time is defined, the form of the deliverables (Word tracked changes, comments for the counterparty, internal explanations), financing experience (issuer side or investor side, and whether the firm manages the closing), fee terms, and how information is handled.

How fast do you respond?

We answer within one business day as a rule. When a financing closing or product launch deadline is close, we present a schedule worked back from that date.

Do you also act for investors?

Yes. We support VCs, CVCs, corporate investors and other investors in contract negotiations. Drawing on practice on both the issuer and investor side, we frame the key negotiation points.

Can the same firm handle IPO preparation and M&A?

Yes. We stay with you through IPO preparation, post-IPO corporate legal work, and legal due diligence and SPA negotiations when you sell.

Is the review done by AI alone?

No. Our AI Agent is used for issue spotting, drafting and drawing on past know-how; attorneys make the final legal judgment and write the comments.

Contact

Tell us what you need

Tell us about your financing plans and current legal setup, and we will propose the work needed and a quote, including whether spot work or a monthly retainer suits you.

Your first consultation is a free 30-minute online meeting
You can consult us before receiving a term sheet or before incorporating
Spot work without a retainer is fine
We also sort out roles with your existing outside counsel