It is not uncommon for privately held companies and partnerships to change their ownership structure, and usually such changes can be amicably negotiated. Unfortunately, business relationships sometimes deteriorate beyond repair, and it is necessary to take legal action to separate the parties’ competing interests in a company. Such “business divorce” cases usually involve numerous complex legal and accounting issues including business valuation, the use and ownership of trade secrets, tax consequences, enforcement of restrictive covenants, and potential liability to business creditors. Sometimes, a business divorce will involve fraudulent conduct or malfeasance by a business partner that requires aggressive legal action to prevent further damage to the business and its owners.
Our attorneys’ considerable experience in litigating complex business disputes, combined with our firm’s depth of knowledge across multiple practice areas and industries, give us unique insight in handling business separations and ownership disputes. Utilizing our firm’s longstanding relationships with other service professionals, such as accountants and financial advisors, we collaborate to provide our clients with thoughtful, practical and creative strategies to best achieve their goals and protect their interests when ownership disputes arise.
Representative Cases:
Won over half a million dollars from three arbitrator panel for Claimant, a physician member of an LLC, including attorney’s fees and expenses, in a breach of contract, usurpation of corporation opportunity and breach of fiduciary duty action.
Secured dismissal with prejudice with favorable settlement terms on behalf of Defendant, a company officer, in a fraud action in which Plaintiff sought unspecified punitive damages.