Shareholder/Partner Disputes

When a business is formed, good legal counseling is critical. When disputes arise between owners of that business, competent legal counsel is indispensable. Defrees & Fiske layers have broad experience in the area of business dispute mediation or the separation of the owners. While the process may begin with a mutual agreement to part ways, we also encounter situations where neither party wants to leave despite an impasse or when only one party has the desire to leave. In either case, the terms upon which the business continues or is dismantled requires counsel with skills that encompass a range of legal and interpersonal skills. Our attorneys are experienced in the areas of mediating disputes, business “wind up”, tax considerations of the dissolution and ultimately, obtaining relief in the form of a judicial or private adjudication.

Whether faced with a partner who refuses to acknowledge the end of the business relationship or a business partner who commits illegal acts or violates fiduciary duties, you should call the experienced business litigators at Defrees & Fiske. Unnecessary delay may irretrievably damage an otherwise viable business and jeopardize your financial investment and, in many cases, source of employment.

We have assisted business owners with partnership or corporate dissolutions in a variety of industries from retail to professional service businesses, among others, relating to:

• Buy-Sell agreements;
• Shareholder agreements;
• LLC Operating agreements;
• Partnership agreements;
• Statutory relief from the courts in the absence of a written agreement.