Mike Costes Flesuras

I'm a Startup Employment Lawyer and founder of Grey Ocean. My practice focuses exclusively on employment law for startups, growth-stage companies, and the venture capital firms that invest in them. I advise founders and executive teams on the workforce challenges that arise as companies scale from founding through exit — independent contractor classification, commission and equity compensation structures, trade secrets protection, and compliance with California's demanding regulatory environment. I draft and negotiate employment agreements, consulting arrangements, separation packages, and incentive compensation plans tailored to the realities of venture-backed companies operating under California law. A significant part of my practice involves employment due diligence for mergers and acquisitions. I help acquirers and targets identify workforce risks — from misclassification exposure and PAGA liability to gaps in AI governance policies — before those risks become deal issues or purchase price adjustments. That work gives me a practical perspective on which employment practices create enterprise value and which ones quietly erode it. I also counsel companies on emerging workforce technology and AI compliance. As companies adopt AI-driven tools across HR functions — automated hiring, workplace monitoring, performance analytics — I help them implement policies that satisfy evolving regulatory obligations while preserving the operational flexibility that growth demands. My approach to employment law is strategic rather than purely defensive. I work with leadership teams to build employment frameworks that support business objectives: attracting talent through well-structured compensation, protecting proprietary information without overreaching.