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.

 

 

Do New York courts have authority to hear suits for judicial dissolution of New York-based foreign business entities? This week’s New York Business Divorce discusses a recent decision by Justice Anil C. Singh in Holdrum, N.V. v. Edelman, which highlights a split of appellate authority on the issue.
Continue Reading Judicial Muddle Persists Over Power to Dissolve Foreign Entities

A recent New Jersey appellate ruling upheld the expulsion of an LLC member whose conduct, even if not wrongful, almost caused the collapse of the business involving an overseas medical school. Read more in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading “But I Did Nothing Wrong!” No Defense to Involuntary Dissociation of LLC Member

A decision last month by Justice Carolyn Demarest in Mizrahi v. Cohen adds to the short but growing list of LLC dissolution cases in which courts have ordered equitable buy-outs notwithstanding the absence of enabling provision in the LLC agreement. This week’s New York Business Divorce has this important story.
Continue Reading Court Decision Boosts Equitable Buy-Out Remedy in LLC Dissolution Case

Continuing its spotlight on disputes in the family-owned business, this week’s New York Business Divorce features insightful remarks on the subject by Justice Alan D. Scheinkman of the Westchester Commercial Division following the settlement of a case I handled before him.
Continue Reading A Judge’s Wise Words on Disputes in Family-Owned Businesses

This week’s New York Business Divorce continues with Part Two of my interview with law professor and legal scholar Benjamin Means whose latest article applies legal and social science theories to the special problems afflicting the family owned business.
Continue Reading Interview with Law Professor Benjamin Means on Conflict in Family-Owned Businesses: Part Two

This week’s New York Business Divorce features Part One of a two-part online interview with law professor Benjamin Means, who has written a number of scholarly articles on shareholder oppression, and whose most recent article, called Non-Market Values in Family Businesses, applies Ben’s critical analysis to the special considerations attendant to oppression actions and conflict resolution within family-owned businesses. You won’t want to miss it!
Continue Reading Interview with Law Professor Benjamin Means on Conflict in Family-Owned Businesses: Part One

A recent Delaware Chancery Court decision teaches an important lesson for drafters of buy-out agreements involving pass-through entities and taxes on “phantom” income allocated to a former owner. Learn more in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Delaware Case Provides Drafting Lesson for “Phantom” Income Provision in Buy-Out Agreement

This week’s New York Business Divorce features brief summaries of a handful of noteworthy court decisions that escaped my attention last year, including a pair of decisions involving deadlock and oppressed minority shareholder disputes, and another pair of decisions involving receivership applications.
Continue Reading Some Winter Case Notes