[codingdave]

But this is not a dispute, at least not yet. It is just a one-sided request. They can just talk to their lawyer, ignore it, and wait to see if the VC files a suit. Short of that, there is no obligation to even reply. So why go into potentially dangerous legal territory at all, when you are perfectly in your rights to just discuss it with your lawyers, but then ignore it?

[paulsutter]

This is a VC who wanted to invest in the last round, not an attacking army. There's no reason to leave the relationship on a sour note.

[zamalek]

This doesn't make things necessarily more sour. Firstly, given the evidence in the post, it sounds like a BS claim (although only a lawyer would know). Things are already sour. That being said, reaching an amicable arrangement via legal proxy doesn't make the situation sour at all. Getting lawyers involved is not an aggressive action - they are the subject matter experts. Just like you wouldn't have a software architect dealing with relations, you don't put a founder in charge of legalities.