Find Lawyers in America for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Practice Area Overview
Depending on the jurisdiction, closely held company law may differ significantly from the law of the same jurisdiction that is applicable to corporations and other enterprises that are publicly held. For example, in many jurisdictions owners in closely held companies are subject to heightened fiduciary duties to one another, which may preclude structural actions or transactions that would be permissible in the public company sphere. On the other hand, closely held companies are free from many of the disclosure and other regulations that constrain publicly held enterprises in their activities. This is true even when the closely held company is of equal size as a publicly held participant in the same industry. Practitioners in this area must be experts in recognizing these legal and regulatory differences and also be aware of the alternative governance frameworks available in other jurisdictions.
The key challenge in family business law is to structure an environment in which familial goals and interests and enterprise goals are mutually reinforcing. This requires empathy and creativity on the part of the practitioner, particularly the ability to translate essentially non-legal concepts such as stewardship into legal script, all in a tax-efficient manner.
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Scott is a member of the firm’s Trusts and Estates and Tax Practice Groups. Part of Scott’s practice focuses on estate planning strategies designed to minimize estate and other taxes, as well as ensure that assets left under a decedent’s will or trust for family members can be effectively and efficiently managed. In addition, Scott has significant experience in advising clients with respect to the administration of trusts and estates, and handling trust and estate litigation...
Attorney Johanna J. Allex is a partner in Stafford Rosenbaum LLP 's Madison office where she helps families and individuals plan for and manage life’s expected and unexpected transitions. Johanna’s law practice covers all aspects of estate planning and estate administration, marital property law, business succession planning, and tax-exempt organization planning and operations. Johanna is a Certified Public Accountant and serves on the Firm’s Board of Directors. Johanna&rsqu...
Allen D. Altman focuses his practice in the areas of complex estate, gift and GST tax planning for high-net-worth individuals and family units. He is experienced in issues dealing with executive compensation, stockholder agreements and nonqualified deferred compensation. Allen proactively develops and implements tax and estate planning strategies for his clients. In addition, he provides practical recommendations and structures that draw on his experience representing a wide variety of family...
Alex is a partner at Young Moore and focuses his practice on business law, commercial real estate, and wealth preservation. Alex represents clients in a variety of transactional matters including entity selection and formation, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, shareholder agreements, employment agreements, corporate governance, finance, succession planning and other commercial contracts. Alex also represents business owners in connection with their commercial needs, including real e...
Mr. August is a shareholder in the firm. Mr. August has been with the firm since 1994. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Planning and Probate by The Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bursiness Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude ...
David Austin is the President of Eaton Peabody. He concentrates his practice on a variety of corporate matters on behalf of the firm's private and publicly held clients. He represents a variety of business clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, general corporate counsel, commercial contracts, debt and equity financings, and stockholder relations. Representative projects: Represented a major timberlands client in its acquisition of a hardwood flooring manufacturer; represented cl...
Attorney John Barce focuses his practice on business transactions, federal and state taxation, charitable planning, estate and business succession planning, intellectual property and biotechnology licensing, and tax controversies. John is a member of the Indiana State and the Allen County Bar Associations. He is a co-founder and director of the NeighborLink Fort Wayne Foundation, a volunteer attorney with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, an elder at Northeast Christian Church, and a m...
Maxwell N. Barnes is a Member in the firm’s business section and has been practicing law since 1997. He concentrates his practice on advising clients in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general business matters. General Business/Transactional Experience Mr. Barnes assists businesses of all sizes and their owners in addressing their day-to-day legal needs. This involves counseling clients on organizing and structuring new entities, employment issues, equity i...
As a member of the law firm, Stroud, Willink & Howard, LLC , Joe specializes in complicated transactions, and for that reason he is known as one of Madison’s top real estate and business attorneys. Joe maintains a strong reputation as being detail- and solution-oriented. He is a trusted counselor who listens to his clients’ concerns and cares about their long-term success. Specialties Section 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges Construction Financing Construction Contracts Eminent Domain
Since cofounding Stein Sperling 40 years ago, Millard Bennett has built a robust and varied business law practice, while simultaneously growing and expanding the firm as Managing Partner into one of Montgomery County’s largest and most sought after law firms. In addition to his time tested business acumen, Millard’s intuition, empathy and meticulous attention to his clients’ individual needs has earned him a reputation as a go-to business lawyer. Beyond advising clients on b...
Jeff’s practice focuses on business law, real estate, and estate planning. He works with many small- and medium-sized companies and handles all of their legal issues, including business transactions, financing, contracts, licensing matters, and real estate transactions. Jeff has special expertise in commercial real estate development and financing and in the ownership, management and transfer of family cottages, farms and vacation properties. He also represents clients in the agricultur...
Robert S. Bick possesses extensive corporate law experience, having completed hundreds of merger, acquisition, divestiture, going private, financing, and related transactions. For more than thirty years, he has represented clients of all sizes across a range of industries in corporate and business law matters. Robert counsels and represents public and private companies, entrepreneurs, venture capital and private equity groups, boards of directors and business owners on matters related to corp...
Marc Bishop focuses his practice on general business representation and transactional work, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and finance of companies. A trusted advisor, Marc works closely with clients to find reasonable, effective solutions to legal problems. Marc serves as the general corporate counsel to a variety of companies, providing and coordinating legal services meeting the needs of operating businesses, including services relating to organizational structure, con...
Neal has extensive experience in real estate, advising clients on the acquisition and sale of all types of commercial property, as well as residential and commercial real estate disputes. He also advises clients on issues related to bankruptcy (debtor/creditor issues), construction, and commercial litigation including the prosecution and defense of complex, multi-party disputes. Neal views his job to be helping individuals and businesses manage their legal risks whether in a transaction or li...
M (Michael) litigates high-stakes divorce and child custody cases, regularly handling multi-million dollar divorces involving closely-held businesses, commercial real estate valuation, fraud and concealed assets, executive benefits, trusts, and inherited wealth, in addition to high-conflict custody cases with allegations of abuse, alienation, or mental health complications. Their clients include business owners, public figures, entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, high-net-worth families, medic...
Rebecca Bowen’s legal work is a blend of business and family matters – and sometimes, both at once, particularly in issues of succession and estate planning. She helps clients proactively address their legal needs — before a client’s legal needs address them. Responsive, efficient, and compassionate in her approach, Rebecca is trusted by individuals and families to create estate plans that address uncomfortable but real questions around one’s wishes in the event ...
Christopher W. Boyett co-chairs Holland & Knight's National Private Wealth practice. Mr. Boyett advises domestic and international wealthy families throughout Florida on sophisticated estate planning strategies and options and counsels family businesses on succession planning and tax planning. Additionally, he advises both institutional and individual clients on estate and trust administration issues. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, Graduate Program in...
For over 25 years, Christopher has been serving the legal needs of businesses and entrepreneurs. He often serves as general counsel to clients and his experience covers the spectrum of the business cycle, from start-up, to investment and growth, to succession planning and exit strategies. Christopher also has considerable experience with business disputes and has successfully handled commercial litigation in both state and federal courts. His clients past and present include biotech and techn...
Lawrence Brody retired as an Adjunct Professor at Washington University School of Law, after fifty years of teaching Estate Planning and Drafting. He is a visiting Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami Law School, teaching a course on Life Insurance. Mr. Brody is the author or co-author of numerous articles and books on the use of life insurance in estate and employee benefit planning, including two BNA Tax Management Portfolios, two books for the National Underwriter Company, and a nu...
Trevor A. Brown represents clients in both litigation and transactions. His real estate experience ranges from resort acquisition and development to acting as trial counsel to establish beach access rights based on Kingdom of Hawaii land use. Mr. Brown's corporate experience ranges from negotiating corporate restructurings to acting as trial counsel to force the break-up of related land development corporations. Mr. Brown counsels trustees and beneficiaries in trust matters and also represent...
Practice Areas - Business and Corporate Planning, Early Stage Companies, Family Business Planning, Mergers and Acquisitions, Venture Capital Richard Bruder specializes in the needs of growing, entrepreneurial companies, including high potential entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and second stage companies. Richard’s practice includes: helping venture capitalists, angel investors and entrepreneurs negotiate and close funding rounds; representing buyers and sellers in mer...
Justin Burney focuses his practice on the areas of mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, securities offerings, and other transactions, in addition to serving as outside corporate counsel to various clients, providing advice on corporate governance matters, compensation arrangements, regulatory issues, and contractual relationships. He has worked with clients of all sizes across a broad range of industries, including government contractors, healthcare providers, life sciences and technology ...
Paul Campellone brings to his public finance, M&A, commercial finance and intellectual property practice more than three decades of sophisticated high-profile experience in serving the needs of corporations, closely-held businesses, governmental entities and educational institutions. His experience includes acting as disclosure counsel to the State of Rhode Island on various bond issues, handling $150 million in complicated, tax-exempt bond financing for a noted university, helping a not-...
Ken Coe strives to take a sophisticated yet practical approach to the practice of law and the counsel and advice given to clients and their families. Ken advises business clients who represent a broad spectrum of industries and a wide range of business functions. Ken’s clients benefit from his ongoing working familiarity with various income, gift and estate tax matters, contracts of all kinds, shareholder, partnership agreements, limited liability company arrangements, real estate activ...
I chair our firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Team of 15 transactional attorneys and tax specialists and assist our firm clients with regard to achieving their estate planning objectives. Having more than 30 years’ experience as an M&A attorney and corporate advisor, combined with being a CPA and having a master’s degree in taxation, provides me with a unique background and perspective to advise the firm’s business clients in achieving their goals in the most timel...
Beth is a shareholder at Jaburg Wilk and has been practicing law for more than three decades. She chairs the firm’s Estate Planning and Business Law Department. As both a Tax Specialist certified by the State Bar of Arizona – Arizona Board of Legal Specialization and a Certified Public Accountant, she has a unique expertise in assisting her clients with their estate planning as well as closely held businesses. She has assisted hundreds of families – including ones with subst...
James F. Contini is a director of Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co., L.P.A., and currently serves as a member of the firm’s management committee. His focus is primarily in estate planning, business succession planning, probate, estate and trust administration, elder law, business law, and real estate law.
Thomas Cooper’s practice is focused on tax planning, trust and estate planning and administration, business succession, and transactional and business matters that arise in connection with the acquisition, ownership, and operation of closely held businesses. Thomas supports clients’ existing and prospective business interests, including representing family offices and independent sponsors in their acquisitions of closely held businesses and other investments, advising on capital s...
John Cross is a corporate attorney and business adviser, often serving as the outside general counsel for companies not large enough to have an in-house legal department. He assists clients in general business and transactional matters, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, securities, franchises, and real estate. John works with individuals and businesses on various corporate and transactional matters, including formation, organization and choice of entities, shareholder agreements, LLC agree...
Mr. Curoe concentrates his practice primarily in representing high net worth individuals in estate planning, tax matters and business ventures. He specializes in helping wealthy individuals and business owners protect their assets, grow their businesses, and preserve a legacy for their families and charitable interests. Mr. Curoe also represents financial institutions and individual trustees on trust administration and litigation matters. He is the chair of Bodman's High Net Worth Practice Gr...
Bob Curry has practiced in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, general corporate matters, securities regulation, and international business transactions for over 38 years. He has been responsible for numerous M & A transactions, including both stock and asset acquisitions and dispositions, involving both public and private companies in many different industries. Mr. Curry has represented companies in their initial public offerings, follow-on public offerings and private placements of e...
Stephen Daiker focuses his practice on estate, gift and income tax planning for high net-worth individuals, charitable planned giving, and succession planning for owners of privately-held businesses. He is a frequent speaker on these topics and has written articles for numerous publications, including Taxation for Accountants, taxation for Lawyers, The Florida Bar Journal, The Journal of the Missouri Bar, The Journal of Financial Planning, and the Tax Management Journal of Estates, Gifts and ...
Tom Daniel concentrates his law practice in federal and State tax planning, resolution of tax disputes, organization and structuring of business ventures, solving practical business legal problems, purchases and sales of businesses, structuring and acquiring real property interests, and structuring tax-advantaged means for acquiring, holding, operating and disposing of real estate and business investments. Mr. Daniel also provides estate and trust planning advice and services for his clients....
Mark Davidson plans, negotiates and documents a wide variety of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity, organization, governance, debt and equity financing, executive compensation, partnership and corporate taxation, and management/ownership succession. Mark focuses his practice on the planning, negotiation and documentation of a wide variety of transactions in the life of a business, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, organi...
For her longstanding business and corporate, health care, construction, and real estate clients in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Susan works diligently to understand their business and legal needs to provide innovative yet practical solutions to their pressing problems. With her in-depth experience and years of counseling executives and senior management, Susan effectively assists clients to minimize potential litigation and disputes. From corporate governance to high-stakes acquisitio...
Stephanie advises on complex tax issues, investment structures, acquisitions and sales of special assets, trust and probate administration and charitable giving. She serves as a fiduciary consultant on litigation matters for corporate fiduciaries and interfamily disputes. Stephanie also represents taxpayers on contested tax matters, including federal and state audits and administrative appeals. Stephanie’s clients include high net worth individuals, family offices and corporate fiduciar...
Scott Dillon is the senior attorney in our Business, Tax and Estates department. He has a broad-based business, corporate, and transactional practice that includes handling personal and estate-related matters for the owners and their families. Scott has 40 years of experience dealing with legal issues affecting businesses and counseling with business owners on such matters, as well as drafting and negotiating business contracts. Especially in recent years, the most substantial part of Scott&r...
Bradley J. Dougherty is a partner in the Corporate Department of the Indianapolis, Indiana office of Barnes & Thornburg. Bradley concentrates his practice in the areas of business transactions, estate planning and estate administration. He represents individuals, closely held businesses and family businesses. Bradley provides services for the formation and operation of corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, and representation of these entities as corporate/legal couns...
Eric Estadt joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in 2022 and is a member of the firm’s Business Law Practice Group. He has experience supporting a wide range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to individuals, protecting and enforcing their trademarks in a wide array of industries. Eric specializes in utility and design patents in the mechanical, medical device, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries.
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