I help entrepreneurs build it, protect it, and pass it on
COUNSEL FOR GLOBAL FOUNDERS
Legal strategy across the full arc of a founder's life — from the first entity to the last signature, and every contract, deal, visa, and decision in between.
Not just your lawyer. Your advisor, your sounding board, and someone who's been on the founding side of the table.
I see your whole arc —
not just today's question
MY APPROACH
Every founder I work with comes to me with one urgent question. Having lived and seen multiple of these journeys, I know it's never just one question — I partner with you to think through your strategy holistically.
The company formation leads to the intellectual property questions. The visa leads to the green card questions. The exit leads to the estate questions and how do I secure my family.
I don't just answer what's in front of you today. I see what's coming from our first conversation. I partner with you to build your holistic strategy — so you're never caught off guard by a question you should have asked six months ago.
Tell me where you are right now
YOUR SITUATION
Every founder's needs evolve. I work across all of these — and help you think ahead, not just respond.
"I'm starting a company and need to get the structure right from day one."
Entity choice, founder agreements, vesting schedules, equity splits — these early decisions either protect you or haunt you. I've been on the founding side. I know which ones actually matter.
Company formation & structure"I'm a founder outside the U.S. — or on a visa that's holding me back."
If you've built something real, you may qualify for a U.S. work visa based on what you've already accomplished. No lottery, no employer required in many cases. This often runs alongside your company formation — not after it.
U.S. work visa · O-1A"I want a trusted advisor in my corner — not just someone I call when things go wrong."
A monthly retainer that puts a strategic legal partner in your business. Review anything before you sign it, get quick answers, think through decisions before they become problems.
Fractional GC & ongoing advisory"I've built something valuable and need someone to protect it."
Patents, trademarks, licensing deals, IP assignments — I protect what you've built with the depth of someone who understands the underlying technology, not just the legal category.
IP strategy & licensing"I have a contract in front of me and something feels off."
Most founders sign things they shouldn't, or miss leverage they didn't know they had. I'll tell you what it actually says and what to push back on.
Contract review & negotiation"I want to make sure my family is protected and what I've built goes where I intend."
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney — and the parts most attorneys miss: your startup equity, your digital assets, your cap table. Designed for founders, not generic forms.
Estate planning & succession"I've built a real track record. I want to make my life in the U.S. — permanently."
You may qualify for a green card based on your achievements alone — no employer, no labor certification, no lengthy wait for most applicants. We build the case around your story.
Permanent residency · EB-1A"I want to invest in America and secure residency for my family in the process."
A qualifying capital investment in a U.S. business — starting at $800,000 in qualifying areas — can secure permanent residency for you, your spouse, and your children. No achievement criteria. We help you structure it, document your source of funds, and navigate the process from first petition to green card.
Investor residency · EB-5Let's talk it through.
Founder turned Lawyer
ABOUT ME
I came to law through building — not the other way around.
Before I was a lawyer, I was an engineer. I was a founder and a founding engineer — which means I've lived the early-stage founder experience firsthand: signing contracts you're not sure about, wondering whether your IP is protected, making structure decisions under time pressure with incomplete information.
That experience is what makes me uniquely effective in serving founders. I'm not a generalist who stumbled into startup work. I'm a technologist who went to law school specifically to serve the people I understand the best — founders, innovators, and families building something that matters, wherever they're starting from.
After a decade in technology and 9+ years in big law practice, I started Jandhyala Law around one idea: the best advisor for an entrepreneur is one who thinks like an entrepreneur. I built it to be the advisor I wished I'd had as a founding engineer — someone who understood both the business and the law, gave straight answers, and didn't make you feel like every question starts running the meter.
Founder, Startup engineering leader, Cross-continent team leader
Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, Finnegan LLP
Bay Area tech founders, South Asian professionals, global innovators building a life in the U.S.
Tell me what you're working on.
I'll tell you honestly if I can help.
LET’S TALK
First conversations are free and without obligation. Come with a situation, a question, or a document — or just come to think it through out loud.
Jandhyala Law is a California sole proprietorship. Contacting this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. No legal advice is provided until a written engagement agreement is signed.