Photo of Peter A. Mahler

Peter A. Mahler is a litigator focusing on business divorce cases involving dissolution and other disputes among co-­owners of closely held business entities, such as limited liability companies, corporations, and partnerships. Peter represents both control and non-control owners, often involving family-owned businesses. Frequently counseling business owners prior to litigation, he advises them of their rights and also assists in designing and negotiating an amicable separation between parties. Peter’s counsel helps avoid litigation by means of a buy-out, sale, or division of business assets.

 

 

The Manhattan Commercial Division recently dismissed derivative claims by a partner in a family-owned realty partnership based on conflicts of interest and his “litigious nature”. Learn more about this unusual and instructive case in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Suing on Behalf of People You’re Suing Can Sink a Derivative Lawsuit — Especially If You Have a Litigious Nature

This week’s New York Business Divorce previews and links to the latest podcast episode of the Business Divorce Roundtable featuring an interview with business evaluator Jaime d’Almeida on the important subject of forensic analyses in valuation.
Continue Reading Forensic Analyses in Valuation: Interview With Jaime d’Almeida of Duff & Phelps

This week’s New York Business Divorce examines the “diversity trap” in business divorce cases involving LLCs brought in federal court, highlighting a recent decision by SDNY District Judge Edgardo Ramos dismissing for lack of jurisdiction a suit between former law firm partners.
Continue Reading Beware Diversity Trap in Federal Court Business Divorce Cases Involving LLCs

This week’s New York Business Divorce features a pair of post-trial decisions by Justice Timothy Dufficy in two cases — one seeking dissolution of an LLC, the other seeking to establish a de facto partnership — both of which involved contested ownership as between two sets of brothers.
Continue Reading A Pair of Unbrotherly Business Altercations Go to Trial

New Jersey’s approach to the marketability discount in statutory fair value cases has been called a “business appraiser’s nightmare.” A recent decision by a New Jersey trial court, in which it applied a 25% marketability discount to penalize a 50% owner found guilty of oppression against the other 50% owner, adds fuel to the debate. Check it out in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Has New Jersey Gone Off Its DLOM Rocker?

It’s time for another deep dive into fair value jurisprudence, courtesy of Justice Richard Platkin’s recent decision in the Digeser v. Flach case in which he addresses a number of valuation issues contested by the opposing business appraisal experts. Don’t miss it in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Business Appraisers Spar Over Tax Rates, Market Approach and Other Key Issues in Fair Value Buy-Out Case

This week’s New York Business Divorce offers its annual Winter Case Notes with synopses of four recent decisions by Supreme Court Justices Elizabeth Emerson, Stephen Bucaria, and Charles Ramos in cases involving partnership, close corporation, and LLC disputes.
Continue Reading Winter Case Notes: De Facto Partnership and Other Recent Decisions of Interest