The use of a commercial lease to rip off minority owners in a closely held business
The Informed Board Podcast | CEO Succession Planning on a Clear Day
Succession Planning to Safeguard Your Law Firm’s Future: On Record PR
Law Brief ®: Alan Gaynor and Richard Schoenstein Explore Business Divorce
Episode 8: Minority Oppression in the LLC: Interview With Professor Douglas Moll
Nothing is as certain as it was. Though initial public offerings and deals picked up in the second half of 2025, the direction of the economy and interest rates, the challenge of new technologies to existing business...more
As we begin 2026, we find ourselves right in the middle of “Peak 65,” the period of time between 2024 and 2027 when approximately 4.1 million Americans will turn 65 each year....more
Doing the same thing generally produces the same result, and as the new year arrives, many business owners are considering new steps to help their companies achieve greater success in the year ahead....more
It is your first meeting with a divorce attorney. Towards the end of the meeting, the attorney recommends that you hire a financial expert to conduct an analysis that could help resolve your case. You like the idea of hiring...more
In this episode of Just Compensation, Andrew E. Graw, Taryn E. Cannataro, and Zachary Bocian discuss ESOPs, employee stock ownership plans. The conversation covers the tax and non-tax benefits of ESOPs, and how ESOPs can be...more
In high-net-worth (“HNW”), what you own is rarely the real battle, it’s what those assets are truly worth. HNW divorces bring unique financial and legal challenges that go far beyond traditional marital estate division....more
Closely held businesses routinely use life insurance to fund buy-sell obligations when an owner dies. The logic is simple: the company or surviving owners need liquidity to effect redemptions or repurchases, and life...more
Bad behavior in the workplace is in many instances a legal wrong that leads to legal consequences. Sexual harassment, for example, leads to consequences under tort and employment law. But if the perpetrator is a director or...more
In the lifecycle of a closely held company—whether a limited liability company, a small corporation, or a joint-venture partnership—there are critical transitions that expose a business and its owners to considerable...more
In valuation disputes, the Discount for Lack of Marketability rarely behaves. Courts disagree about it, lawyers and experts litigate it to exhaustion, and business divorce cases often see seven-figure swings based on the...more
I love endurance sports, and I work out incessantly. But I don’t watch sports or know much about them. Before hanging out with a group other men, I ask my wife to give me a summary of which local sports teams have recently...more
For both new and seasoned business owners, establishing a comprehensive estate plan is not just prudent—it’s essential. A well-structured estate plan ensures the continuity of your business, minimizes legal complications,...more
Balancing numbers and relationships when business and family intersect. Family-owned businesses occupy a unique and vital space in the economy. They combine entrepreneurial drive with deep personal commitment and long-term...more
Selling a closely held business is a major milestone. Whether the goal is retirement, estate planning or strategic growth, early preparation can help business owners protect value, avoid delays and position the company for a...more
In a recent decision, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware addressed a dispute at a private Delaware corporation concerning the removal of two officers by the board under a notice of board meeting that the court...more
Many transportation and logistics (T&L) companies are family-owned or closely held businesses that often bear their founder’s name. Some have been passed down through two or more generations of family ownership. But there...more
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is big news for closely held businesses. Signed into law on July 4, 2025, by President Trump, the massive spending and tax package made many provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs...more
Four sisters. One house. Who owns it? Today’s case delves into a thorny situation many closely-held family businesses struggle with—proving ownership....more
C Corp - Imagine a closely held and growing start-up business (“Corp”) that was recently incorporated under state law and, so, is treated as a regular C corporation for purposes of the federal income tax. Thus, Corp will pay...more
Founding a business with a partner is similar to getting married in many ways; it is a long-term commitment with your financial future and livelihood at stake. Unfortunately, business partners often stop getting along at...more
There is a common misconception that ownership equals control. But in many businesses—especially those participating in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), or Service-Disabled...more
In the months preceding the general election in 2024, the owners of many closely held businesses who had not yet given much thought to the disposition of their future estates, including their businesses, decided they should...more
Earnouts are a form of contingent consideration that the buyer of a business pays to the seller in the period following the acquisition, based on the business achieving various financial metrics related to its performance...more
New York’s Commercial Division has long prided itself on adopting practices and procedures similar to the federal courts. A recent amendment to its rules takes a further step in that direction by mandating initial disclosures...more
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the most significant US tax overhaul since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The OBBBA includes critical changes impacting family offices,...more