Generated Shareholder Agreement
Build, save and export this legal workflow
This workspace turns the founder equity controls result into a reusable matter note, dashboard item and gated PDF checklist. Use the app first, then save the evidence trail.
Evidence checked
Risk flags
What stronger tools teach this app
Benchmarked against Rocket Lawyer, Wonder.Legal, LawDepot, PandaDoc and Docusign CLM. The goal is not to copy them; it is to bring the useful workflow pattern into an Africa-first tool with official-source caution and local evidence capture.
Observed feature pattern
- Document tools use guided questionnaires, clause libraries, approval notes, e-signing or print-ready exports rather than plain text templates only.
- Contract lifecycle tools keep a single source of truth for parties, evidence, risk flags, approval status and renewal or action dates.
- Good template products make lawyer review moments explicit when the facts are risky or jurisdiction-specific.
Implemented on this app
- This page now asks for matter, country or regime, date, status, evidence and risk flags before the user exports a note.
- The app-specific checklist is not generic: it starts with "Align the shareholder agreement with the company constitution and registry filings".
- Saved workflows can be resumed from the dashboard and handed off to Board Resolution when the matter naturally continues.
- The PDF/export moment is a value-after-result gate, so users can still use the tool first and only share email when saving the report.
Best next move
- Which decisions need unanimous, supermajority or board approval
- Align the shareholder agreement with the company constitution and registry filings
- Deadlock clauses that only say parties will discuss the issue
Founder equity controls
The core job is not to repeat the constitution. It is to control founder exits, share transfers, reserved decisions, information rights, vesting, deadlock and investor-readiness.
Decisions this clarifies
- Which decisions need unanimous, supermajority or board approval
- Whether founder shares should vest or be repurchased after early exit
- Which transfers are allowed, restricted, or forced during a sale
Before you rely on it
- Align the shareholder agreement with the company constitution and registry filings
- Add drag-along, tag-along, pre-emption and leaver clauses before fundraising
- Keep cap table, vesting schedule and beneficial ownership records current
Red flags
- Deadlock clauses that only say parties will discuss the issue
- Investors receiving rights that ordinary shareholders cannot see
- Share transfers that happen privately but are never updated at the registry
Save the founder equity controls trail
Before filing, signing, publishing, or sending anything, keep a short record that links the app result to evidence and official-source checks.
Capture
Save the country or regime, parties, dates, amounts, selected options, and final output. Add why this matters: Which decisions need unanimous, supermajority or board approval.
Attach
Align the shareholder agreement with the company constitution and registry filings. Also keep the strongest supporting document, receipt, portal reference, ID, contract, policy, or court file beside the generated result.
Escalate
If you see this risk, pause and get qualified help: Deadlock clauses that only say parties will discuss the issue.
Shareholder Agreements for African Startups — What to Include
A Shareholder Agreement (SHA) governs the relationship between company shareholders and supplements the Articles of Association. Unlike the Articles (which are public), the SHA is confidential.
- Vesting: Standard 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff means founders earn their shares over time — protecting the company if a founder leaves early. The "cliff" means nothing vests in year 1; after the cliff, shares vest monthly.
- Drag-along rights: If shareholders holding the drag-along threshold agree to sell the company, they can require all other shareholders to sell on the same terms. This enables clean exits.
- Tag-along rights: If a majority shareholder sells their stake, minority shareholders can "tag along" and sell their shares at the same price and terms. This protects minorities from being left behind.
- Reserved matters: Decisions that are too important to be made by a simple majority — they require unanimous or supermajority consent from shareholders.
- Anti-dilution: Protects investors from share value dilution in down rounds. Common in VC-backed startups — not included in this basic template.
- Pre-emption rights: Existing shareholders get the right of first refusal when new shares are issued or existing shares are transferred.