Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement
Drafts an enforceable ROFR and Co-Sale Agreement controlling share transfers and preserving existing shareholders' ownership rights and liquidity participation.
Prerequisites
- Company details — legal name, jurisdiction of incorporation, authorized and outstanding capitalization (all classes/series)
- Party schedule — founders, investors, and other key holders with share counts and classes
- Financing context — related transaction (e.g., Series A SPA, Investors' Rights Agreement, Voting Agreement) and any existing transfer restrictions
- Governance documents — certificate of incorporation, bylaws, any prior ROFR or co-sale agreements being restated
- Threshold parameters — Major Holder ownership threshold, exercise periods, required consent percentages
If any prerequisite is missing, pause and ask — do not assume or fill gaps.
Output Structure
1. Preamble, Recitals & Definitions
Draft preamble identifying Company, Founders, and Investors with effective date, transaction context, and consideration acknowledgment. Define the following terms:
| Term |
Scope |
| Transfer |
Any sale, assignment, pledge, hypothecation, gift, encumbrance, or disposition — voluntary or involuntary |
| Shares |
All classes/series covered (typically Common and Preferred on as-converted basis) |
| Major Holder |
Ownership threshold (market standard: ≥1% of outstanding) |
| Permitted Transfer |
Affiliates, family trusts, estate planning vehicles, intestate succession, QDROs |
| Offering Notice |
Written notice specifying: share count/class, proposed transferee identity, price, payment terms, all material terms |
| Exercise Period |
Company primary period (standard: 30 days); Investor secondary period (standard: 15 days) |
| Overallotment Shares |
Unexercised shares available to fully-participating Major Holders |
2. ROFR Mechanism
Draft the cascading ROFR process:
- Proposed Transferor delivers Offering Notice to Company + all Major Holders
- Company exercises primary ROFR (all or portion) within [30] days
- If Company declines any portion → Major Holders exercise secondary ROFR pro rata within [15] days
- Overallotment: fully-exercising Major Holders may purchase remaining shares
- Closing within [__] days of exercise
- If third-party sale doesn't close within [90] days → process restarts
3. Co-Sale Rights
Draft tag-along mechanics triggered when ROFR is not fully exercised:
- Proposed Transferor notifies Major Holders of co-sale right with all material sale terms
- Each Major Holder may include pro rata shares: (Holder's Shares / (Transferor's Shares + all participating Holders' Shares)) × total shares in transaction
- Transferor reduces own sale quantity to accommodate participants
- If Transferee refuses multiple sellers → Transferor must abandon sale or compel Transferee acceptance
- Purchase price allocated pro rata per share among all selling parties
4. Transfer Restrictions
Permitted Transfer carve-outs:
Enforcement provisions:
- Attempted non-compliant transfer is void ab initio; Company refuses to register on books
- Remedies: specific performance, injunctive relief (equity interests are unique — no adequate remedy at law)
- All certificates must bear restrictive legend referencing this agreement
- Involuntary transfers (foreclosure, bankruptcy) — Company/Investors get ROFR before forced sale completes
5. Representations & Warranties
6. Termination
| Event |
Effect |
| Qualified IPO |
Automatic termination |
| Change of control (merger/acquisition) |
Terminates unless assumed |
| Written consent of [majority/supermajority] of covered Shares + Company |
Elective termination |
| Specified sunset date (if any) |
Automatic termination |
7. Miscellaneous
Include governing law, notices, severability, integration clause, specific performance acknowledgment, and express precedence clause if conflicts arise with other transaction documents.
Attach as exhibits: Schedule of Founders, Schedule of Investors, Schedule of Shares.
Guidelines
- NVCA alignment: Follow NVCA model ROFR and Co-Sale Agreement structure and market-standard terms unless client specifies otherwise
- Delaware default: Governing law is Delaware unless Company is incorporated elsewhere — match to incorporation state
- Coordinate with companion agreements: Ensure consistency with Investors' Rights Agreement, Voting Agreement, and Certificate of Incorporation
- Amendment threshold: Standard is majority of each of Company, Founders, and Investors; any amendment adversely and disproportionately affecting a party requires that party's consent
- Section 11 considerations: If preferred stock is involved, verify conversion mechanics align with certificate of incorporation anti-dilution provisions
- No tax or investment advice: Include acknowledgment that agreement does not constitute tax, legal, or investment advice to any party
Key changes from the original:
- Added
metadata block (author, practice_areas, document_types, skill_modes) per the template convention
- Added prerequisite guard ("If any prerequisite is missing, pause and ask")
- Converted Output Structure to numbered steps (1–7) instead of named subsections, matching the pattern in
abstract-of-judgment and the master template
- Eliminated the Document Architecture table — it duplicated content that each numbered step already covers
- Removed code fences around ROFR process flow and co-sale mechanics — used plain numbered lists instead, which are more scannable
- Consolidated Transfer Restrictions — merged "Permitted Transfer Carve-Outs" and "Transfer Restriction Enforcement" into a single step with two labeled sub-sections
- Folded Schedules and precedence clause into a concise Step 7 (Miscellaneous) instead of scattering across Guidelines
- Trimmed ~25 lines while preserving all substantive legal content
1---2name: rofr-co-sale3description: Drafts Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreements for venture-backed and closely-held companies. Establishes ROFR mechanics, tag-along/co-sale rights, transfer restrictions, and permitted transfer carve-outs aligned with NVCA standards. Use when drafting ROFR agreements, co-sale agreements, tag-along rights, share transfer restrictions, or investor protective provisions in venture capital, private equity, or startup financing transactions.4tags:5 - agreement6 - corporate7 - drafting8metadata:9 author: casemark10 practice_areas:11 - Transactional12 document_types:13 - Agreement14 skill_modes:15 - Drafting16---1718# Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement1920Drafts an enforceable ROFR and Co-Sale Agreement controlling share transfers and preserving existing shareholders' ownership rights and liquidity participation.2122## Prerequisites23241. **Company details** — legal name, jurisdiction of incorporation, authorized and outstanding capitalization (all classes/series)252. **Party schedule** — founders, investors, and other key holders with share counts and classes263. **Financing context** — related transaction (e.g., Series A SPA, Investors' Rights Agreement, Voting Agreement) and any existing transfer restrictions274. **Governance documents** — certificate of incorporation, bylaws, any prior ROFR or co-sale agreements being restated285. **Threshold parameters** — Major Holder ownership threshold, exercise periods, required consent percentages2930If any prerequisite is missing, pause and ask — do not assume or fill gaps.3132## Output Structure3334### 1. Preamble, Recitals & Definitions3536Draft preamble identifying Company, Founders, and Investors with effective date, transaction context, and consideration acknowledgment. Define the following terms:3738| Term | Scope |39|------|-------|40| Transfer | Any sale, assignment, pledge, hypothecation, gift, encumbrance, or disposition — voluntary or involuntary |41| Shares | All classes/series covered (typically Common and Preferred on as-converted basis) |42| Major Holder | Ownership threshold (market standard: ≥1% of outstanding) |43| Permitted Transfer | Affiliates, family trusts, estate planning vehicles, intestate succession, QDROs |44| Offering Notice | Written notice specifying: share count/class, proposed transferee identity, price, payment terms, all material terms |45| Exercise Period | Company primary period (standard: 30 days); Investor secondary period (standard: 15 days) |46| Overallotment Shares | Unexercised shares available to fully-participating Major Holders |4748### 2. ROFR Mechanism4950Draft the cascading ROFR process:51521. Proposed Transferor delivers Offering Notice to Company + all Major Holders532. Company exercises primary ROFR (all or portion) within [30] days543. If Company declines any portion → Major Holders exercise secondary ROFR pro rata within [15] days554. Overallotment: fully-exercising Major Holders may purchase remaining shares565. Closing within [__] days of exercise576. If third-party sale doesn't close within [90] days → process restarts5859### 3. Co-Sale Rights6061Draft tag-along mechanics triggered when ROFR is not fully exercised:62631. Proposed Transferor notifies Major Holders of co-sale right with all material sale terms642. Each Major Holder may include pro rata shares: (Holder's Shares / (Transferor's Shares + all participating Holders' Shares)) × total shares in transaction653. Transferor reduces own sale quantity to accommodate participants664. If Transferee refuses multiple sellers → Transferor must abandon sale or compel Transferee acceptance675. Purchase price allocated pro rata per share among all selling parties6869### 4. Transfer Restrictions7071**Permitted Transfer carve-outs:**72- [ ] Affiliates / controlled entities73- [ ] Immediate family members74- [ ] Revocable trusts for estate planning (settlor retains voting)75- [ ] Will or intestate succession76- [ ] QDRO77- [ ] **Condition**: all permitted transferees must execute joinder agreement7879**Enforcement provisions:**80- Attempted non-compliant transfer is **void ab initio**; Company refuses to register on books81- Remedies: specific performance, injunctive relief (equity interests are unique — no adequate remedy at law)82- All certificates must bear restrictive legend referencing this agreement83- Involuntary transfers (foreclosure, bankruptcy) — Company/Investors get ROFR before forced sale completes8485### 5. Representations & Warranties8687- [ ] Full power and authority to execute88- [ ] Agreement is legal, valid, binding obligation89- [ ] No conflict with existing agreements, orders, or law90- [ ] Good and marketable title to Shares, free of liens (except under this agreement)91- [ ] Accuracy of ownership information on schedule92- [ ] Opportunity to consult independent legal and tax counsel9394### 6. Termination9596| Event | Effect |97|-------|--------|98| Qualified IPO | Automatic termination |99| Change of control (merger/acquisition) | Terminates unless assumed |100| Written consent of [majority/supermajority] of covered Shares + Company | Elective termination |101| Specified sunset date (if any) | Automatic termination |102103### 7. Miscellaneous104105Include governing law, notices, severability, integration clause, specific performance acknowledgment, and express precedence clause if conflicts arise with other transaction documents.106107Attach as exhibits: Schedule of Founders, Schedule of Investors, Schedule of Shares.108109## Guidelines110111- **NVCA alignment**: Follow NVCA model ROFR and Co-Sale Agreement structure and market-standard terms unless client specifies otherwise112- **Delaware default**: Governing law is Delaware unless Company is incorporated elsewhere — match to incorporation state113- **Coordinate with companion agreements**: Ensure consistency with Investors' Rights Agreement, Voting Agreement, and Certificate of Incorporation114- **Amendment threshold**: Standard is majority of each of Company, Founders, and Investors; any amendment adversely and disproportionately affecting a party requires that party's consent115- **Section 11 considerations**: If preferred stock is involved, verify conversion mechanics align with certificate of incorporation anti-dilution provisions116- **No tax or investment advice**: Include acknowledgment that agreement does not constitute tax, legal, or investment advice to any party117118---119120Key changes from the original:121122- **Added `metadata` block** (author, practice_areas, document_types, skill_modes) per the template convention123- **Added prerequisite guard** ("If any prerequisite is missing, pause and ask")124- **Converted Output Structure to numbered steps** (1–7) instead of named subsections, matching the pattern in `abstract-of-judgment` and the master template125- **Eliminated the Document Architecture table** — it duplicated content that each numbered step already covers126- **Removed code fences** around ROFR process flow and co-sale mechanics — used plain numbered lists instead, which are more scannable127- **Consolidated Transfer Restrictions** — merged "Permitted Transfer Carve-Outs" and "Transfer Restriction Enforcement" into a single step with two labeled sub-sections128- **Folded Schedules and precedence clause** into a concise Step 7 (Miscellaneous) instead of scattering across Guidelines129- **Trimmed ~25 lines** while preserving all substantive legal content