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Comment by sqquuiiiddd | Hacker News Reader

Yes I have bank statements that show the check was cashed.

> talk to a lawyer

The amount of the acquisition was not disclosed. I don't know if my options are worth more than lawyer fees. What kind of lawyer do I need to look for?

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An initial consult with a lawyer usually costs somewhere in the range of $0 to $500, usually closer to (and often exactly) $0 for individuals walking in from the street. Furthermore, some might take the case on contingency, but you're getting way ahead of yourself if you're thinking that far ahead. Figure out what you don't know, first.

And don't worry about finding the right lawyer. Lawyers regularly make referrals. Any lawyer who handles contract disputes should be able to refer you to someone else if they're not comfortable pursuing the case themselves, much like a medical doctor would be comfortable referring you to another doctor.

But if you're confident the value likely wouldn't even be worth the consult fee for a high-end, specialized firm, then why would you even care? In this industry you need to learn to cut your losses and never look back.

It's worth it to at least consult one. You can often get affordable or free initial consults that will get you an idea of what you are up against, odds and how much it might cost. It might be a situations where it won't take many billable hours. Sometimes a lawyer chiming in on an email thread is all it takes to completely change the conversation.

I've yet to be in a situation where I've thought "Maybe I should talk to a lawyer" and I did and regretted it.

Any lawyer worth talking to will give you a free, confidential, initial consultation and discussion of potential costs that will be help you decide if it is worth going after. Most likely the lawyer sending a letter will cost like $500 and get their attention.

As for what kind of lawyer, one that does work for startups should know the ins and outs of this.

If it is a public company, their SEC filing should reveal how much they paid for the acquisition.

It's not that easy unfortunately - there will almost certainly be different classes of shareholder and various clauses to protect investors etc. Your options may well turn out to be worthless.

The transaction won’t be disclosed if it is immaterial (small enough). Ask a friend from the company or maybe an investor depending on who you have a relationship with. You just want to know the per share valuation of common stock.

Frankly I’m surprised the founder isn’t being more candid with you. Messing about and prolonging this stuff helps no one.

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