Merritt & Merritt

What Merritt & Merritt does

Merritt & Merritt is a privately held, B Corporation-certified boutique law firm founded in 1989 by H. Kenneth Merritt, Jr. and Sharon J. Merritt, headquartered in Burlington, Vermont with a second office in Manchester, New Hampshire opened in 2016. The firm operates with a 4-person team consisting of the two founding partners, one associate, and a practice development manager. It provides professional legal services across four core practice areas: entity formations and maintenance (corporations, benefit corporations, LLCs, LPs, L3Cs), capital raising (seed offerings, private equity, VC negotiations, leveraged buy-outs), intellectual property protection (trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, design patents), and M&A representation (mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances).

The firm serves a hybrid client base spanning startups, SMBs, mid-market companies, and enterprise clients in technology, financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, craft brewing, consumer products, and impact/sustainable business sectors. Its go-to-market is relationship-led and community-embedded: Ken Merritt founded the Vermont Venture Network in 1989, serves as Managing Director of North Country Angels, and holds board positions across angel and impact investing organizations, creating a proprietary deal-sourcing channel within the Vermont/New England entrepreneurial ecosystem. Notable client engagements include guiding Keurig Green Mountain, Seventh Generation, and SunCommon from early stage through liquidity events, and representing design-driven companies such as Hubbardton Forge and Danforth Pewter on IP matters for over 20 years.

The business model is professional services billings on entity formations (flat fee), transactional work (hourly/transactional fees), and ongoing advisory retainers. Pricing is described as competitive flat fees for formations with flexible billing for ongoing matters; revenue is not publicly disclosed. The firm has no proprietary technology platform, no AI capabilities, and relies on personal referrals, community events (Vermont Venture Network, Vermont Investors Forum, Peak Pitch), professional association memberships, and word-of-mouth within the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem as its primary marketing channels.

Name

Merritt & Merritt

Legal name

Merritt & Merritt

Website

https://merritt-merritt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Merritt & Merritt is a privately held, B Corporation-certified boutique law firm founded in 1989 in Burlington, Vermont, providing corporate/securities, capital raising, intellectual property, and M&A legal services to startups, SMBs, and mid-market companies primarily in the Vermont and New England entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Corporate securities law
• Intellectual property law
• Entity formation services
• Venture capital advisory
• Mergers and acquisitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Corporate/Securities: Legal fees for corporate and securities transactions including entity formations, capital raising, M&A representation, and governance activities for privately and publicly held companies, venture capital funds, and financial institutions.
2. Legal Services - Intellectual Property: IP legal services including trademark, trade secret, copyright protection, IP licensing and enforcement, and patent matters for consumer product manufacturers, specialty food and beverage producers, design-based businesses, and software developers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Merritt & Merritt is a B Corporation-certified boutique law firm providing legal services across four core practice areas: Entity Formations & Maintenance (corporations, benefit corporations, LLCs, LPs, L3Cs), Raising Capital (seed, venture, private equity, commercial loans), Intellectual Property Protection (trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, patents), and Buying, Selling & Liquidating (M&A, mergers, leveraged buy-outs, joint ventures). The firm primarily serves emerging growth companies, startups, mature enterprises, and design-driven consumer product businesses in the New England region and nationally.

Product overview

Merritt & Merritt is a B Corporation-certified law firm offering legal services rather than a traditional software product. The firm's service portfolio centers on four core practice areas: Entity Formations & Maintenance (corporate structure setup and ongoing compliance), Raising Capital (venture financing, private equity, and commercial loans), Intellectual Property Protection (trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets), and Buying, Selling & Liquidating (M&A transactions, mergers, and acquisitions). These services are provided to emerging growth companies, startups, and established enterprises seeking legal counsel on corporate, securities, and intellectual property matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Entity Formations & Maintenance Legal services for business entity formation and ongoing maintenance for corporations, benefit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships (LPs), partnerships, limited partnerships, and L3C structures. Provides competitive flat fee rates for formation work and supports ongoing entity compliance. Designed for emerging growth companies, startups, mature enterprises, and socially responsible businesses forming and operating in Vermont and nationally.
• Raising Capital Capital raising advisory and transactional legal services covering commercial loans, seed capital offerings, private equity, venture capital investment negotiation, complex commercial loans, working capital lines of credit, term loans, and leveraged buy-outs. For emerging growth companies, startups, and established enterprises seeking financing from angel investors, venture capital funds, and financial institutions.
• Intellectual Property Protection Intellectual property legal services covering trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights, and patent matters, as well as IP licensing and enforcement. Includes safeguarding inventions, confidential business strategies, and protection of business growth and diversification. Targeted at consumer product manufacturers, specialty food and beverage producers, design-based businesses, and software developers needing to protect original designs (often from overseas knock-offs) and enforce IP rights.
• Buying, Selling & Liquidating M&A and transactional representation services for public and private companies and leveraged buy-out funds. Covers mergers, asset and stock acquisitions, tender offers, spin-offs, joint ventures, and strategic alliances. Supports clients from deal structuring through closing and post-transaction integration, including guidance through liquidity events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guided Vermont's most successful companies from inception to globally-renowned brands including Keurig Green Mountain, Seventh Generation, Magic Hat Brewing Company, Vermont Smoke & Cure
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont Venture NetworkcoreOthers · 1 January 1989Founded by Ken Merritt in 1989 to stimulate regional economy through monthly educational and networking forums. Now serves as comprehensive calendar of venture-related events for Vermont's entrepreneurial community.
• Angel Capital AssociationminorOthersNationwide association of 240+ professional angel groups and 13,000+ angel investors helping improve returns and promote effective public policies for angels and startups.
• Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR)coreOthersNon-profit with 750+ business members advancing business ethics and triple bottom line values. Merritt & Merritt is a founding member. Ken Merritt is a founding board member.
• Slow Money AllianceminorOthersNon-profit facilitating flow of investor capital to local food enterprises. Ken Merritt is a founding member.
• B Lab (B Corporation)coreOthersB Corporation rating system for companies considering society and environment alongside profit. Merritt & Merritt is a B Corporation-certified organization, certified in 2014.
• Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET)minorOthersNon-profit with leading-edge technology incubator program mission to increase technology startups and accelerate job creation for Vermont.
• LaunchVTminorOthers$75K business pitch competition run by Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce providing startups with mentorship, exposure and education.
• Peak PitchminorOthersSkiing, networking and pitch event for entrepreneurs and investors by FreshTracks Capital L.P. M&M is a founding sponsor.
• Social Venture Circle (SVC) & American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC)minorOthersASBC represents hundreds of thousands of businesses; SVC provides expertise and programs for sustainable business entrepreneurs. Ken Merritt was former Board member.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• McLane Middleton PA: New Hampshire-based full-service law firm with significant corporate and IP practices serving emerging growth companies throughout northern New England. Comparable peer in geography and practice mix.
• Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA: Manchester, NH-headquartered full-service firm with a corporate practice serving startups, venture financings, and emerging growth companies — direct competitor in M&M's newly opened Manchester market.
• Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC: Vermont and New Hampshire-based business and intellectual property law firm. Closely comparable peer in size, geographic focus, and practice mix serving similar mid-market and emerging growth clients.
• Pierce Atwood LLP: Regional New England firm with offices in Portland, ME and other locations, serving emerging growth and middle-market companies on corporate, securities, and IP matters — comparable practice scope and client type.
• Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC: Vermont-headquartered full-service law firm with offices in Burlington and St. Johnsbury. Most directly comparable regional peer serving Vermont startups and mid-market companies across corporate, securities, and IP matters.
• Dinse Knapp McAndrew LLC: Burlington, VT-based business law firm with corporate, securities, and intellectual property practices. Comparable peer serving emerging growth companies throughout New England with similar boutique positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP: Major Boston-headquartered law firm with deep venture capital, IP, and emerging company practices. Represents the larger incumbent M&M competes against on sophisticated startup and technology matters in New England.
• Goodwin Procter LLP: Large national law firm with one of the country's premier emerging companies and venture capital practices. Competes with M&M for higher-end VC financings and M&A, while offering substantially broader resources.
• Foley Hoag LLP: Boston-based law firm with a strong emerging companies and venture capital practice plus IP expertise. Comparable to the larger incumbent M&M competes with on New England startup and growth-company matters.
• Cooley LLP: National law firm with market-leading emerging companies and venture capital practice and broad IP capabilities. Represents the type of larger incumbent M&M alumni background could compete against on sophisticated transactions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hkmerrittjr
• Facebookfacebook.com/merrittandmerrittvt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merritt-&-merritt-&-moulton

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Merritt & Merritt