News & Analysis as of

Operating Agreements Limited Liability Company (LLC) Breach of Contract

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP

LLCs Can Assert Offensive Claims Against Members

In “business divorce” litigation involving LLCs, it is common to see a disgruntled LLC member asserting claims against the LLC’s manager. Depending on the type of harm alleged, those claims might be asserted directly (by the...more

Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP

Handling Partner Expulsions in Restaurant Businesses: A Legal Guide

Partnership conflicts can arise in any restaurant business, and in some cases, the only solution is expelling a partner. However, removing a business partner is a complex legal process that must be handled carefully to avoid...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

LLC Member States Direct Claims Arising from Machiavellian Manager’s Tactical Bankruptcy Petition

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

“There is only going to be one winner here, and it’s not going to be you—give in while there is something still left in it for you,” said one LLC member to the other. With co-owners like that, who needs enemies?...more

Venable LLP

Despite Chancery Court Decisions in Recent Years, Agreements Continue to Include Transfer Restrictions That May Not Be Enforceable

Venable LLP on

Despite recent decisions by the Delaware Court of Chancery, many key corporate documents continue to include restrictions on indirect transfers of equity that may not be enforced if challenged in court....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

New Year, New Law – New Opacity – for LLC Owner Disputes

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

New York’s appellate courts are breaking new ground in 2025. Until a month ago, I would have said that “deadlock” most certainly is not enough on its own to dissolve a New York LLC....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

New York Appellate Court’s Split Decision Involving Delaware LLC Pits “Harsh” Contractarianism Against “Fundamental Fairness”

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Last week, the Manhattan-based Appellate Division, First Department, handed down one of the more intriguing decisions by a New York court I’ve seen in a long time involving a dispute between LLC members....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Recent Decisions Enforce LLC Member’s Right of First Refusal, Restrict Partnership Accounting, and Allow Damages Claim for Breach...

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Someday, perhaps, I’ll find the comedic inspiration to come up with a joke that begins, “An LLC, a partnership, and a close corporation walk into a bar . . ..” Until then, I’ll have to satisfy myself with writing about an...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Operating Agreement Controls, Unless Public Policy Says Otherwise

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Two principles often guide courts’ interpretation and enforcement of contracts.  First, courts respect parties’ freedom of contract, mostly.  So long as an agreement is not illegal or violative of a strong public policy,...more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

Recent Westchester County Commercial Division Decision Demonstrates the High Bar Required for Obtaining Mandatory Injunctive...

In Costello v. Molloy, Justice Gretchen Walsh of the Westchester County Commercial Division denied Plaintiff William Costello’s request for a mandatory injunction against Defendants Ronald Molloy and Curis Partners, LLC...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Court Enjoins Dilution of Brewing Company LLC Membership Interest

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Most folks associate beer with pleasure. Many craft brewers will tell you they went into business for that reason: to make themselves and others happy (and, oh yeah, make money). ...more

Snell & Wilmer

Delaware Court of Chancery: Deadlock Can be Genuine Even When Unilaterally Orchestrated

Snell & Wilmer on

A Delaware Court of Chancery case decided earlier this year provides some useful guidance on the interpretation of LLC agreements and what constitutes a “deadlock” under Delaware law. The case, Mehra v. Teller, involved a...more

Morris James LLP

Chancery Confirms that the Implied Covenant Imposes a “Good Faith” Component to an Agreement to Negotiate

Morris James LLP on

DG BF, LLC v. Ray, C.A. No. 2020-0459-MTZ (Del. Ch. Mar. 1, 2021) - The Operating Agreement for an LLC involved in the cannabis industry provided for a five-member board of managers, with one Independent Manager appointed...more

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP

Determining Membership in an LLC: sometimes it’s not as easy as it should be

LLC membership interests are usually straightforward and can determined by simply reviewing the LLC’s operating agreement. The operating agreement typically lists the members. Sometimes the operating agreement will impose...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Curious Case of the Expelled LLC Member Bound by Operating Agreement He Never Signed

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

The case of Shapiro v Ettenson ranks as one of the more consequential ones in the realm of New York’s LLC jurisprudence....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

A Case of LLC Withdrawal Symptoms

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

I was especially drawn to the case I’m about to introduce involving LLC member withdrawal, owing to the Jacobs v Cartalemi case that I litigated to a successful conclusion about two years ago, also involving member...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Perils of Indeterminate LLC Membership Interests

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Here we go again — and again and again. On numerous prior occasions I’ve written about judicial dissolution cases and other infighting among LLC members featuring disputes over membership percentages. ...more

Robins Kaplan LLP

Delaware Supreme Court Increases Damages from $1 to $126 Million, Holds Chancery Misapplied Efficient Breach Doctrine

Robins Kaplan LLP on

On May 2, 2019, Justice Traynor authored a unanimous opinion in which the Supreme Court of Delaware, sitting en banc, reversed a decision by Vice Chancellor Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery awarding Leaf Invenergy...more

K&L Gates LLP

Chancery Court Grants Defendant’s Motion On The Pleadings Where Named Defendants Did Not Owe Any Of The Contractual Or Fiduciary...

K&L Gates LLP on

In Ross v. Institutional Longevity Assets LLC, C.A. No. 2017-0186-TMR (Del. Ch. Feb. 26, 2019), the Chancery Court, in a motion for judgement on the pleadings, found that the plain language of a limited liability company’s...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Delaware Chancery Court Orders Venture Capital Firm To Increase Terminated LLC Member’s Payout In Post-Trial Opinion

On August 13, 2018, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery ordered Domain Associates, LLC (“Plaintiffs,” “Domain,” or the “Firm”), a venture capital firm, to pay its former member, Nimesh Shah...more

Morris James LLP

Self-Dealing Conduct Supporting Fiduciary-Duty Claims Was Covered by Contractual Duties Imposed in the LLC Agreement

Morris James LLP on

The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act’s policy is to give the maximum effect to the principle of freedom of contract in LLC operating agreements. The act permits parties to eliminate common-law fiduciary duties, and...more

Morris James LLP

Court Of Chancery Applies LLC Contractual Fiduciary Duty

Morris James LLP on

MHS Capital LLC v. Goggin, C.A. No. 2017-0449-SG (May 10, 2018) - Alternative entity agreements may eliminate common law fiduciary duties and often do, supplanting them with contractual fiduciary duties....more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

Commercial Division Holds That Agreement That Specifies Dilution as Remedy for Failure to Make Capital Call Prohibits Plaintiff...

Operating agreements often specify dilution as the remedy for a failure to make a capital contribution. But what if your business partner fails to make a contribution and you’d rather have the capital than an increased...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Contracting Party Beware: The Implied Covenant Will Not Save You From Your Agreement If You Negotiated Away Your Rights

On February 1, 2018, the Delaware Court of Chancery granted defendants’ motion to dismiss an action brought by minority unitholders of Trumpet Search, LLC (“Trumpet” or the “Company”). The defendants were other unitholders...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Will Someone Please Re-Name the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing?

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

In the annals of business divorce litigation and assorted other disputes between co-owners of closely held business entities, the cause of action for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing likely wins...more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

Special Proceeding Seeking a Judicial Decree to Dissolve an LLC

In Advanced 23, LLC v. Chambers House Partners, LLC, No. 650025/2016, 2017 BL 462831 (NY. Sup. Ct. Dec. 15, 2017), Justice Saliann Scarpulla of the Commercial Division ruled that Advanced 23, LLC (“Advanced”) and David...more

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