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Business Litigation Business Divorce

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Conditional Grants of Membership Interests Are a Roadway to Courtroom Conflict

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

In the world of business divorce litigation, this summer saw everything but a slowdown.  We witnessed (and blogged about) Justice Crane cap a long-running fair value proceeding with helpful guidance on appraisals and...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Breach of Fiduciary Duty: A More “Lenient Standard” for Damages?

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

If Sisyphus were a judge, he’d be assigned the Fuks case. Fuks began on December 26, 1996. Fire up your mental time machine, travel back in time, and picture what was going on in your life those many years ago....more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

My Partner Just Sued Me: Strategies Majority Owners Should Consider in Defending Claims Filed by Private Company Investors

Conflicts between co-owners in private companies are common, but the vast majority are worked out through dialogue and negotiation. When these internal conflicts cannot be resolved, however, minority investors may file suit...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

All in the Family: Succession Issues in Family-Owned Businesses

Lowenstein Sandler LLP on

On this episode of “Splitting Heirs,” Warren K. Racusin talks with Lowenstein partner Nick San Filippo IV, Chair of the firm’s Business Divorce practice, and Jeff Savlov, a partner in the family business and wealth consulting...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Did Chancery Court Just Crack Open the Door to Equitable Dissolution of LLCs?

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Delaware Chancery Court’s contractarian approach to all things LLC, embedded statutorily in Section 18-1101(b) of the Delaware LLC Act (“It is the policy of this chapter to give the maximum effect to the principle of freedom...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Dissolution Undone

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Business divorce and non-judicial (a/k/a voluntary) dissolution of a business entity rarely intersect. But when they do, or even in a non-business divorce setting, if a business owner needs to rescind a certificate of...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

It Takes More Than a Litigation Tsunami Between Hostile Members to Obtain Judicial Dissolution of a Realty-Holding LLC

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Count ’em: At the time A sued B for judicial dissolution of one of their several jointly owned companies, there are not one, not two, not three, but eight pending lawsuits between the two 50/50 business partners who first...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Oral Joint Ventures: The Wild West of Business Associations

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

The lion’s share of cases we write about on New York Business Divorce involve consummated business relationships where the warring parties have clearly chosen the particular entity form governing their relations, whether it...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

I Need to Sue My Longtime Business Partner(s): What Pitfalls Should I Consider Before Filing Suit

As a business trial lawyer representing private company owners and investors in business divorce disputes and civil litigation for many years, my experience teaches that business partners should approach litigation with...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

When Law Firms Break Bad: The Valuation Battle Over Contingency Fees and Crypto Tokens

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As both a practitioner and a close follower of New York business divorce caselaw, I’ve seen a recent uptick in disputes centered on the breakup of professional services firms and cryptocurrency businesses. Perhaps the crypto...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

You Get What You Get, and You Don’t Get Upset: First Department Boots Limited Partner’s Claims Based on Plain Terms of Limited...

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Posts about limited partnerships on this blog are far eclipsed by discussions on just about any other form of business entity because, as we’ve noted in the past, limited partnerships are generally on the decline....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Limo Company Shareholders Can’t Hitch a Ride in Derivative Litigation

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Closely-held business entities come in all shapes and sizes. By definition, under Partnership Law § 10, it takes “two or more” owners to form a general partnership. But corporations and LLCs have no such impediment, ranging...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Your Business Appraiser Relied on What!? Lessons from a Mostly-Decided Motion to Preclude

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

One of the best parts of being a business litigator is the frequent opportunity it affords to work with (and against) expert witnesses of all stripes. And perhaps because there are so many ways that a business divorce can...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Your Business Appraiser Relied on What!?  Lessons from a Mostly-Decided Motion to Preclude

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

One of the best parts of being a business litigator is the frequent opportunity it affords to work with (and against) expert witnesses of all stripes. And perhaps because there are so many ways that a business divorce can...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Battle for Company Control Turns on Conflicting Copies of Operating Agreement Amid Accusations of “Old-Fashioned Forgery”

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

“This case (and its many state-court siblings) has a tortured history,” is the opening line in Judge Subramanian’s decision. The “siblings” are five or so related lawsuits filed in New York State Supreme Court beginning in...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Business Divorce and Accountant Liability

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Does the outside accountant of a closely-held business and its individual owners owe a legal duty to disclose to one owner the suspected financial improprieties of another? ...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Termination, Adequate Alternative Remedies Sends Dissolution Proceeding Packing

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

There are plenty of advantages to practicing business divorce litigation in New York.  The diversity of businesses and clients, complexity of agreements and transactions, and excellence of judges and attorneys make New York,...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Crossing the Hudson: Recent Business Divorce Decisions from Yonder States

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Folks who’ve been following this blog for years know that periodically I like to venture beyond New York’s borders to find and report on interesting decisions from other states in business divorce cases....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Two Cases. Two Mammoth Fee Awards. Coup de Grâce or Pyrrhic Victory?

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Under a common-law doctrine successful litigants love to hate – the “American Rule” – a party to litigation cannot recover its legal fees unless a contract, statute, or court rule expressly authorizes fee-shifting to the...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Legal Ramen-ifications of Dissolving a New York LLC Over Noodle Choices

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

The last time we featured a notable decision on a claim for dissolution of a restaurant-operating LLC was in 2017, with a post by Frank McRoberts titled, “LLC’s Purpose Being Achieved?  Business Doing Fine?  Good Luck Getting...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Rare as a Dodo: Bifurcation in Business Divorce Trials

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Jury trials in business divorce litigation are uncommon. Bifurcated business divorce jury trials are all but nonexistent. But in Aronov v Khavinson (81 Misc3d 1242(A) [Sup Ct, Kings County Feb. 9, 2024]), we encounter the...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

And the Award for Most Creative Attempt to Evade a Book Value Buy-Sell Provision Goes To . . .

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

“Under any standard of value, the true economic value of a business enterprise will equal the company’s accounting book value only by coincidence . . .” says the late business valuation expert and author Shannon Pratt.  So...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Enforcing the Guardrails on Transactions Involving Interested Directors of Close Corporations

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

In my business divorce practice I deal with many closely held corporations that have only a few or perhaps just two shareholders, each of whom is actively involved in running the business. Within that category are many...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Flexible “For Cause” Standard for Director and Officer Removal

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Sections 706 (d) and 716 (c) of the Business Corporation Law (the “BCL”) both contain a “for cause” standard for judicial removal of corporate directors and officers. Complaints with claims for judicial corporate director and...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Perils of Indeterminate LLC Membership Interests, Redux

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Capital contributions by business owners are the lifeblood of any newly formed business entity. Typically the lifeblood consists of cash, but not always. In many instances the contribution may consist of tangible (e.g., real...more

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