Common questions.
Answers to the questions we hear most on first calls. If your question is not here, send it to hello@lockett.law and we will answer in writing within one business day.
Do you work with pre-revenue AI startups?
Yes. Formation, cap table, IP assignment, first customer contracts, and the founder-facing questions that keep you up at 2am. If we are the wrong fit we will tell you inside the first call, and refer where we can.
Can you review our system prompt, model card, or eval report?
Yes. This is one of the reasons the practice exists. We treat prompts, evals, and model cards as legally significant artifacts and review them alongside your commercial and safety exposure.
Do you handle enterprise procurement redlines?
Yes. We turn AI-clause carve-outs, indemnity, and data-use provisions in hours, not weeks, and we own the negotiation through signature if you want us to.
What jurisdictions do you cover?
Primarily US-wide commercial work with practical cross-border experience for EU, UK, and Canadian counterparties. For matters that require local admission we coordinate with vetted co-counsel.
How do you bill?
Flat monthly retainers for ongoing counsel; fixed-fee packages for defined artifacts like formation, ToS, or a first-round SAFE stack. Hourly only when both sides agree it is the right fit, and always with a written cap.
Are you the right choice for pure litigation?
We handle pre-suit strategy, response letters, and quiet resolution. For active litigation of any scale we partner with dedicated trial counsel; we will help you pick and manage them.
How fast can we start?
Kickoff within five business days for retainer engagements, sooner for time-sensitive matters. Fixed-fee packages usually begin within a week of a signed engagement letter.
Do you sign NDAs before a first call?
Yes, when a first call requires you to share genuinely sensitive material. In most cases the first call is scoped as an intake, and no confidential technical detail changes hands until we are engaged.
What does a first engagement usually cost?
Formation packages start at four figures. Enterprise contract template stacks are mid-five. Ongoing retainers are quoted per client based on release cadence and matter mix. We publish a written scope and price before you sign.
Do you take equity in lieu of fees?
Rarely, and only when both sides believe it aligns interests. When we do, we cap the equity portion, disclose the conflicts, and document a clean exit path.
How do you handle conflicts of interest?
We run a conflict check before every new engagement, disclose any adjacencies in writing, and decline matters we cannot handle cleanly. If a conflict emerges mid-engagement, we tell you the day we see it.
Do you work with non-US teams?
Yes, for US commercial and product work. For local-jurisdiction filings and litigation we coordinate with vetted local counsel and remain the accountable point of contact.
Your question, in writing.
If it did not fit here, send it directly. Every intake gets a real answer.