Law firms see more than their fair share of business divorce litigation. But what are the chances of lightning striking twice? In this week’s New York Business Divorce, read about a fascinating, post-trial decision in which an upstate law firm endured a bitter partnership breakup for the second time in a decade, with the same partner taking the opposite position in each lawsuit.
Continue Reading Lawyer Says, “I’m Not a Partner, No Wait, I am a Partner!” Which is It?
Franklin C. McRoberts
Franklin C. McRoberts focuses on litigated business disputes between closely-held business owners, including partnership, corporation, and LLC derivative suits, dissolutions, breakups, buyouts, cash-out mergers, and valuations.
Business Divorce in the Surrogate’s Court
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, we consider an interesting question raised by the occasional overlap of two niche areas of law practice: the jurisdictional power of New York’s probate courts to resolve business divorce disputes.
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How Not to Start a Corporate Dissolution Proceeding
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, a would-be dissolution petitioner just could not catch a break in a series of procedural losses emanating out of Bronx County Supreme Court. …
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The Brothers Cortazar Wage War Once Again
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, read about two bitterly antagonistic brother/co-owners making their second appearance on this blog, this time in a juicy decision following a full-blown trial on the merits.
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Can an Arbitrator Order Extra-Judicial Dissolution?
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, we consider the important but rarely litigated question of whether an arbitrator has the power to extra-judicially dissolve a New York business entity.
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How to Initiate a Fair Value Appraisal Proceeding – a Dissenter’s Checklist
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, we go step-by-step through a tricky process, confusing to many: the procedures leading up to the commencement of a fair value appraisal proceeding.
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The Law Firm “Partner”- A Rose by Any Other Name . . .
If a Schedule K-1 lists you or your client as a “general partner” and 2% owner of a partnership, is that the end of the story for proving ownership status? This week, we consider that question in the context of a long-running litigation between a well-known insurance litigation firm and its former “partner” over his standing to sue to dissolve the business.
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A Pig in a Poke: The Rollercoaster Kadosh Settlement Litigation
In this week’s New York Business Divorce, a wild tale of a settlement achieved, settlement spurned, and a litigant threatened with incarceration for contempt in an intensely bitter, nine-year battle between two brothers over their Manhattan-based real property LLC.
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Sue for Dissolution – Get Sued for Defamation?
If you bring a business divorce case, do you unwittingly expose yourself to a countersuit for defamation? A recent decision addresses that question in the context of withdrawn petitions by two brothers against their uncle to dissolve three family-owned businesses in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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A Fresh Take on an Old Doctrine – The “Adequate, Alternative Remedy” to Dissolution
When shareholders enter into a written agreement governing the terms for a buyout of their stock, to what extent must courts hold a hearing to determine if the agreement provides an “adequate” alternative to dissolution? In this week’s New York Business Divorce, a Manhattan appeals court considers this important question in the context of an epic, 12-year litigation over the value of shares of stock in a Bronx funeral home.
Continue Reading A Fresh Take on an Old Doctrine – The “Adequate, Alternative Remedy” to Dissolution