Have room for one more 2008 top-10 list? This week’s New York Business Divorce highlights the 10 most interesting business divorce cases from last year, with updated case citations and links to previous write-ups.
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Court Rejects Attempt to Vary Statutory Valuation Date in Oppressed Shareholder Buyout
DUE TO TECHNICAL GLITCH, THIS ENTRY WAS PUBLISHED THIS MORNING INCOMPLETE. THIS WILL LINK TO THE COMPLETE ENTRY. MY APOLOGY FOR THE DUPLICATE EMAIL NOTIFICATION. P.A.M.
The statute governing buyouts in oppressed shareholder dissolution cases dictates that the fair value of the shares is to be determined as of the day before the date on which the dissolution petition was filed. This week’s New York Business Divorce looks at a quirky case involving a fight over which of two proposed valuation dates was the proper one, with $1,000,000 in assets hanging in the balance.
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Fiduciaries, the Duty to Disclose and the Incredible Shrinking Release
A recent decision by Commercial Division Justice Charles E. Ramos in the case of Arfa v. Zamir grabs the spotlight in this week’s New York Business Divorce. The subject is an important one to business owners and their counsel: Does a general release in an out-of-court agreement between business partners/fiduciaries provide any protection against allegations of fraudulent nondisclosure?
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Court Bars Minority Member From Intervening in Creditor’s Suit Against LLC
Does a minority member of an LLC have a right to intervene in an action against the LLC by a creditor? How about if the creditor’s claim arises from collusion or other impropriety by the controlling member? This week’s New York Business Divorce provides answers courtesy of a recent appellate court ruling in the curious case of Baron v. Rocketboom LLC.
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Appellate Court Finds Operating Agreement “Silent” on Sale of LLC’s Sole Asset, Upholds Approval by Majority Vote Under Statute’s Default Rule
Last month the Appellate Division, Second Department issued an important decision concerning the application of the LLC Law’s default rules where the operating agreement is silent on a disputed issue. Get up to speed with this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Poorly Drafted Disability Clause in Operating Agreement Provides Novel Defense to LLC Dissolution Proceeding
If you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to corporate dissolution contests, think again as you read this week’s New York Business Divorce which looks at a case in which one LLC member opposed the other’s dissolution petition based on the latter’s alleged mental disability.
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Disputed Allegations of Shareholder Oppression Require Evidentiary Hearing
The necessity of an evidentiary hearing is a threshold issue in corporate dissolution proceedings. A recent decision by Suffolk County Commercial Division Justice Emily Pines serves up a good illustration of how courts approach the issue. Read more in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Timing is Everything When it Comes to the Buyout Election in Corporate Dissolution Cases
The laws authorizing “oppressed” minority shareholders to petition for corporate dissolution also give the majority shareholders the right to avoid litigating dissolution by electing to purchase the petitioner’s shares for fair value. This week’s New York Business Divorce highlights a recent case in which the court refused to permit an untimely election.
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Dissolution May Be Sole Remedy When Minority Shareholder’s At-Will Employment is Terminated
Say goodbye to Joe the Plumber, say hello to Joe the Shareholder who makes his debut in this week’s New York Business Divorce as we examine the rights under employment law of a minority shareholder whose employment with his own company is terminated by the controlling shareholders.
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Court Enforces Stock Buyout Triggered by Shareholder’s Death Notwithstanding Pending Dissolution Proceeding
“Eat and drink with your relatives; do business with strangers.” This Greek proverb gets sorely tested by the case featured in this week’s New York Business Divorce, involving a Greek restaurant business in which one of the shareholders died after filing for dissolution and the other then sought to enforce a buyback provision in the shareholders’ agreement.
Continue Reading Court Enforces Stock Buyout Triggered by Shareholder’s Death Notwithstanding Pending Dissolution Proceeding