Photo of Peter J. Sluka

Peter J. Sluka represents individuals and entities in all phases of complex commercial litigation.  Peter focuses his practice on business divorce and intra-company disputes, including at mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal. Regularly litigating in New York State and Federal Court, Peter handles all aspects of claims between owners of closely-held business entities, including disputes over business valuation, fiduciary duties, governing agreements, capital calls, dilution, shareholder oppression, and dissolution.

In the wild west of LLC derivative lawsuits, the First Department’s recent decision in Bd. of Managers of 28 Cliff St. Condominium v Maguire, 2020 NY Slip Op 06844 [1st Dept Nov. 19, 2020] offers—albeit indirectly—an additional foothold for a successful plaintiff to assert his right to recover his fees from an award in favor of the LLC.
Continue Reading Fee Sharing in LLC Derivative Suits: A Common Law Right and a One Way Street 

Not all misconduct by majority shareholders is worthy of dissolution or a compelled buy-out. The Court’s broad power under BCL 1104-a to craft appropriate remedies also includes the power to award money damages, and dissolution may not be appropriate where the alleged shareholder oppression was a discrete, one-time transaction.
Continue Reading Court Rejects Oppressed Shareholder’s Bid for Dissolution or Buy-Out, Finds Money Damages Sufficient

Can an LLC member with a put option–the right to sell his interest back to the LLC–exercise that option when doing so will render the LLC insolvent? This week’s New York Business Divorce post highlights a recent decision by Justice Masley of the New York County Commercial Division considering this issue.
Continue Reading Departing LLC Members: Exercise Your Put Option Before Insolvency Approaches