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amended-restated-certificate

Drafts a Delaware Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation implementing VC term sheet economics and governance into DGCL-compliant charter provisions. Use when drafting or revising a Delaware A&R certificate, preferred stock charter terms, Series Seed/A/B financing charter, blank check preferred authority, or implementing cap structure from a term sheet or SPA.

personAuthor: jakexiaohubgithub
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Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (DE)

Filing-ready Delaware A&R charter implementing VC financing economics and governance. Produces Articles I–VI with preferred stock rights, conversion, anti-dilution, liquidation preferences, and protective provisions.

Prerequisites

Before drafting, collect:

  • Executed term sheet or SPA exhibits (final economics and governance)
  • Current cap table (outstanding, reserved, convertible securities)
  • Existing certificate of incorporation and all amendments
  • Board/stockholder approval mechanics and thresholds
  • Registered agent name and Delaware registered office address
  • Series terms and designations for each preferred class
  • Side agreements affecting charter terms

Quick Start

  1. Build intake table — gather all fields below, verify math
  2. Draft Articles I–VI with consistent defined terms
  3. Insert preferred stock terms in Article V
  4. Add optional governance provisions only if negotiated
  5. Run verification checklist against source documents

Intake Table

| Field | Source | Notes | |---|---|---| | Legal name | Existing charter, DE records | Must match exactly | | Registered agent + address | Agent confirmation | DE county required | | DGCL adoption path | Board/stockholder actions | 242/245 [VERIFY] | | Authorized Common | Cap table | Include reserves | | Authorized Preferred | Term sheet | By series | | Par value | Existing charter | Common + Preferred | | Series designation(s) | Term sheet | e.g., Series A | | OIP per share | Term sheet | For conversion/dividends | | Liquidation preference | Term sheet | Multiple + priority | | Dividends | Term sheet | Cum/non-cum | | Anti-dilution | Term sheet | Broad-based WA typical | | Protective provisions | Term sheet | Thresholds | | Board composition | Voting agreement or charter | If in charter only |

Capitalization Math

Verify before drafting:

  • Authorized Common >= outstanding + option pool + conversion reserve + warrants/options + cushion
  • Authorized Preferred >= issued + reserved + anti-dilution cushion + blank-check allocation
  • Series totals sum exactly to Preferred authorization
  • All price/share figures reconcile to valuation and investment amount

Article Structure

| Article | Content | |---|---| | I | Corporate name (DGCL 102(a)(1) [VERIFY]) | | II | Registered office, county, registered agent | | III | Broad corporate purpose clause | | IV | Authorized capital, classes, par value, series designations | | V | Preferred Stock rights and preferences (see below) | | VI | Director liability limitation (DGCL 102(b)(7) [VERIFY]) |

Article V Sections

| Section | Minimum Terms | |---|---| | Definitions | Original Issue Price, Conversion Price, Liquidation Event | | Dividends | Rate, cumulative/non-cumulative, priority | | Liquidation Preference | Multiple, priority, participation/cap | | Conversion | Optional + mandatory triggers | | Anti-Dilution | Method, formula, exclusions | | Voting | As-converted voting | | Protective Provisions | Enumerated actions + approval threshold | | Optional | Board designation rights (if in charter) |

Anti-Dilution Formula (Broad-Based Weighted Average)

CP' = CP * (A + B) / (A + C)

CP = Conversion Price before issuance A = Common outstanding (fully diluted, as-converted) B = Consideration received / CP C = Shares issued in the dilutive issuance

Protective Provisions Checklist

Include approval requirements for:

  • Amend charter/bylaws adverse to Preferred
  • Create/authorize senior or pari passu classes
  • Increase/decrease authorized Common or Preferred
  • Declare dividends or distributions
  • Redeem or repurchase stock
  • Liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
  • Merge, recapitalize, or sell all/substantially all assets
  • Change board size or composition
  • Incur debt beyond approved thresholds
  • Exclusive license or disposition of material IP

Execution Block

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by a duly authorized officer on this ___ day of ________, 20.

Name: Title:

Pitfalls and Checks

  • Use DGCL filing statements for amendment/restatement authority (242/245 [VERIFY]).
  • Single-source all definitions — no duplicates across sections.
  • Match every economic term to the term sheet and SPA exhibits. Never improvise.
  • Use precise share counts reconciled to cap table and option pool.
  • Include blank-check preferred only if consistent with protective provisions.
  • If a term is ambiguous or conflicting, stop and request clarification.
  • Optional governance provisions (indemnification, forum selection, written consent, special meetings) only if negotiated and consistent with bylaws.
  • Director exculpation must track DGCL 102(b)(7) and 174 carve-outs [VERIFY].
  • Delaware-specific — do not apply to other jurisdictions without redlining for local law.