What’s the true cost of getting your startup’s legal foundation wrong—and how can overlooking legal nuances derail even the most promising entrepreneurial dreams? In this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood dives into the questions every founder and early-stage investor should be asking about company formation, equity, and governance.

Our guest, Meredith Haviland, is a partner in the corporate group at Foley Hoag, a law firm serving clients in Innovation-driven sectors like life sciences, Technology, and private capital. Bringing years of experience working with both startups and investors, Meredith Haviland shares her expertise on navigating the legal landscape that underpins successful new ventures.

This episode unpacks everything from LLC versus C-corp structures and the importance of choosing the right legal counsel, to equity allocation, 83b elections, and the risks of mishandling intellectual property—especially when AI technology is involved. Marcia Dawood and Meredith Haviland discuss regulatory obligations, governance, board responsibilities, compliance pitfalls, and the growing scrutiny on AI-related legal risks. Whether you’re just starting out or preparing for your next funding round, this conversation is packed with real-world guidance and cautionary tales, making it a must listen for founders, fund managers, and angel investors who want to avoid costly mistakes and build resilient companies from day one.

To get the latest from Meredith Haviland, you can follow her below!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithhaviland/

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Website: www.marciadawood.com

Learn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.com

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Marcia Dawood TEDx Speaker/Author/Podcaster

Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor who serves on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, is a venture partner with Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), a global professional society for angel investors.
She is also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary Show Her the Money.
A TEDx speaker and the host of The Angel Next Door podcast, Marcia walks the talk and holds investments in over fifty early-stage companies and funds. She is committed to expanding support for diverse companies that overcome the world’s biggest problems and accelerate positive change. She is passionate about bridging the gap from early-stage inception to building thriving, profitable companies.
She is a founding member and chair of the ACA’s Growing Women’s Capital Group, which is building syndication and collaboration among US investment groups focused on women-led companies.
She is also a co-author of the book You Can, You Will, which was an Amazon bestseller in thirty-nine categories in four countries.
Prior to that, Marcia worked in sales, marketing, and operations for Kaplan Education for over sixteen years. Marcia received an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Marcia currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, Izzy, and she feels lucky to be the stepmom to three amazing sons.