The firm counsels business startups regarding many of the issues relating to the launch of a new business. Critical issues facing startups include choosing the place of business and/or of incorporation, choosing the appropriate business form, choice of tax status, having clear and concise corporate documents such as by-laws, partnership agreements, LLC operating agreements, shareholder/LLC ownership interest agreements, key employee agreement and considering exit strategies at the outset, such as structuring buy-outs of founding partners’ ownership interests and/or planned dissolution in the event of the occurrence of certain circumstances.
The firm also has experience handling “business divorce” cases involving self dealing, management exploitation of corporate opportunities, failure to pay out company profits, minority shareholder oppression, and others. People generally approach things with the best intentions. Despite that, the future is unforeseeable and things do not always go as planned. Unforeseen consequences and unmet expectations are fairly common In connection with closely held companies and partnerships where long time friends and associates sometimes find themselves at odds over the management of their joint business venture. Making matters worse is the fact that often tines the relationship between the former friends, including their rights, obligations, and remedies with respect to one another are not clearly defined either because they did not bother to have proper agreements drafted or attempted to draft these themselves using forms found on the internet. The result can be an extremely contentious situation with no clear cut answers. The firm is experienced in dealing with these situations, whether by mutual agreement or through mediation, arbitration, or litigation.
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