About

Our mission is your peace of mind.

Stake is a law firm laser-focused on protecting, monetizing, and defending intellectual property.

Stake was designed with You in mind.

Stake is an intellectual property law firm designed for entrepreneurs who need to stake out their market position.

Stake combines the best parts of legal experience and tradition with new and innovative processes to provide top-tier legal services to high-growth companies.

Our Guiding Principles

Our mission is to apply our guiding principles to protect your hard work and give you peace of mind.

Integrity

We prize integrity in our conduct—this is something we won't compromise, even for a client.

Communication

We prioritize communication. Stake's business model encourages open communication with your attorney.

Education

We strive to provide clear and effective counsel to clients, avoiding legalese everywhere possible.

Meet the Founder

Mertzlufft Law PLLC, the New York law firm bearing the Stake brand, was founded in 2021 by Josh Mertzlufft with a mission to build a law firm that works for startups.

Joshua D. Mertzlufft

Principal & Patent Attorney

Joshua is an experienced patent attorney and counselor who leads Stake to provide top-of-class client service. With a background in applied physics, Joshua is able to work with clients innovating in tech, energy, and space, covering subject matters including electronics, optics, software, physics, and more. Joshua is a former engineer and web developer, and he has experience working with clients ranging from pre-seed startups to stock exchange-listed corporations.