All of this assumes, of course, that there was a contract or signed, written agreement in place, with vesting as an explicitly stated term. What "usually" happe

All of this assumes, of course, that there was a contract or signed, written agreement in place, with vesting as an explicitly stated term. What "usually" happens is, sadly, irrelevant unless it was stated in a contract in this case. There are moral arguments to be made here, and there are standards and practices that can be applied for and against those moral arguments. But it all comes down to what was, or was not, signed on paper. Founders should have written agreements in place, or else risk some very expensive lessons in due diligence.