For the entrepreneur in pursuit of personal financial success, a closely-held business often provides the means, although today's complex and swiftly-changing business conditions place a host of obstacles in the way.

Because closely-held businesses need to be particularly effective in managing their resources, many owners want to develop relationships with individual professionals who have multifaceted skills and a willingness to take the time to achieve a real understanding of the business itself and the personal interests and objectives of the owners.  To that end, we strive to provide pragmatic advice and technical expertise in the spectrum of legal areas essential to the business owner’s success - corporate and partnership law, business tax and tax planning, debt and equity financing, and all aspects of commercial contracts.  Our services regularly include:

• Advising start-ups, including choice of entity decisions (traditional corporation, LLC, partnership or other format)

• Negotiating corporate governance provisions and shareholders’ rights and relationships, including buy-sells and other exit strategies

• Assistance in capital formation

• Joint ventures and strategic alliances

• Franchising

• Mergers, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses, divisions and selected assets

• Commercial contracts, including product development and distribution arrangements and international transactions

  
Over the years, we have represented a broad base of companies, large and small, in industries ranging from traditional real estate development, farming and timber management and manufacturing to technology and professional services, including physicians, accountants, architects and engineers. Our approach is to seek fast, practical and cost-effective solutions to clients’ problems, with an eye to the resolution that best fits those who plan to live with it.

For assistance with this area of law, please contact:

Putnam C. Smith or J. Ethan Underwood