About us
A different kind of law firm.
Rubicon Law is built for builders. We partner with high-growth companies to turn ambitious ideas into durable realities.
Our origin story
Founded on a pattern worth breaking.
Rubicon Law was founded in 2007 by Ryan Howell after working inside a small venture fund.
From that vantage point, he saw a pattern repeat itself: the love-hate relationship between founders and their lawyers. Startup teams needed legal counsel, but they dreaded picking up the phone, because a five-minute question could mean a long meandering non-answer, and an eye-popping bill.
It was obvious something was off. For founders taking real risks to build something new, the legal experience was too slow, too cautious, too opaque, and generally misaligned with how startups operate.
Rubicon was created as a different kind of firm: one built around trust, decisive guidance, and a deep belief in entrepreneurship as a force for good.
Why “Rubicon”?
To cross the Rubicon is to make an irreversible commitment.
It means moving from “thinking about it” to “we’re doing this.” Every founder and executive knows that feeling: incorporating the company, taking the first outside capital, making the hire you hope moves the needle, signing the transformative partnership, choosing whether to sell, merge, or double down.
We’ve sat in those rooms and on those late-night calls, both as counsel and as founders ourselves. Our name is a reminder that these moments are critical. They deserve preparation, clear thinking, and someone at your side who has helped other leaders make similarly high-consequence decisions.
What we believe
Four convictions that shape every engagement.
Trust is the real currency.
We optimize for long-term trust over short-term fees. That means honest conversations about costs, and a relationship where you feel safe looping us in early, before small issues become big ones.
Entrepreneurship makes the world better.
We believe in the power of entrepreneurs to solve problems, create jobs, and change markets. Starting something from nothing is an act of courage and creativity. We see our work as protecting and amplifying that effort, not standing in its way.
Clarity beats complexity.
The law can be dense; your decisions shouldn't be. We explain options in plain language, frame the tradeoffs, and then give you a recommendation. "It depends" is only the beginning of the conversation, not the end.
Creativity within constraints.
Great legal work isn't about saying no. It's about understanding the rules well enough to design structures, incentives, deals, and governance that let you build boldly while managing real risk.
Where we’ve been
We know the weight of “this has to work.”
Our team has founded businesses, worked as in-house counsel to corporations and venture funds, and practiced law at large firms. We know what it feels like to manage a board, steward investor capital, be responsible for payroll, and carry the emotional weight of building something that has to work.
That experience shapes how we show up: pragmatic, calm, and focused on what will matter five years from now, not just what looks tidy on a closing checklist.
What it’s like to work with us
Less “outside counsel,” more extension of your leadership team.
“You talk like operators, not like a textbook.”
Founder, venture-backed data analytics company
“You don't just list risks. You help us decide.”
Founder, AI services company
“I know what this is going to cost, and I know you're thinking about the relationship, not just the billable hour.”
CEO, consumer products company
Ready to cross?
Twenty minutes, no pitch, no clock running. Tell us where your company stands and we’ll tell you what we’d be thinking about if we were in your seat.
Book a free consultation →