Self-complete template. You get an editable Word template, plain-English guidance notes and a completion checklist, emailed to you after payment is confirmed. Written for use in Ireland.
Not included: legal advice, tailoring, review, witnessing or filing. OnlineLegalServices.ie is operated by Plus Promotions Limited, which is not a solicitor’s practice. If you want a solicitor to review your completed document, find one through the Law Society of Ireland’s directory.
Bolt-on vesting for founders, advisors, and early employees
Vesting is the single most effective anti-walkaway mechanism in a startup. It is also routinely missing from Irish startup cap tables. If you already have a shareholders agreement or constitution that does not include vesting, this pack adds it as a standalone side agreement — investor-ready, Companies Act compliant, and enforceable.
What’s included
- Editable Word template written for use in Ireland
- Plain-English guidance notes explaining each section
- Completion checklist
- Delivered by email after payment — you fill it in yourself
Not included: legal advice, tailoring, review, witnessing or filing.
Who this is for
Irish companies with founders, advisors or early employees who hold shares without vesting, companies preparing for investment where investors will require vesting as a condition, and late-stage pre-seed teams who were too busy to set vesting up at incorporation.
How it works
- Pay the price shown on this page by card.
- The template, guidance notes and checklist are emailed to you.
- Complete the template yourself using the guidance notes.
- If you want your completed document checked, ask a solicitor of your choice — you can find one through the Law Society of Ireland’s Find a Solicitor directory.
Related services
Also consider: Founder Shareholders Agreement, Co-Founder Equity Split Review, Cap Table Legal Health Check.
Frequently asked questions
Why is vesting important for Irish startups?
Without vesting, a co-founder who leaves after three months can keep 25% of the company forever. Investors will either refuse to invest, demand the shares be clawed back as a condition, or deeply discount the valuation. Vesting protects the remaining founders and the company from this scenario by letting the company recover unvested shares when someone leaves.
What is the difference between vesting and reverse vesting?
In forward vesting (common in option schemes), shares are earned over time and not yet owned. In reverse vesting (common for founders who already own shares), founders own the shares outright but the company has a contractual right to repurchase unvested shares at nominal value if the founder leaves. For Irish founders who have already been allotted shares at incorporation, reverse vesting is the usual mechanism.
What is a single-trigger vs double-trigger acceleration?
Single-trigger means vesting accelerates on one event (typically a sale of the company). Double-trigger means two events must occur, typically a sale AND the founder being dismissed without cause within a set period afterwards. Double-trigger is more investor-friendly and is the current market standard for Irish and UK early-stage deals.
Can I use this if I already have a shareholders agreement?
Yes — this is designed as a bolt-on. It sits alongside your existing shareholders agreement and constitution and adds vesting mechanics without rewriting the whole package. If you do not have a shareholders agreement yet, the Founder Shareholders Agreement includes vesting as standard.
What is a good-leaver vs bad-leaver?
A good-leaver typically keeps their vested shares at fair value. A bad-leaver (usually defined to include gross misconduct, breach of agreement, competition) forfeits shares at nominal value.
How long does the drafting take?
Typical the information form.
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