Family-Owned Businesses

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In prior litigation with his ex-wife, Gary Rubio swore he sold his shares in the family business to his father. When he brought a subsequent shareholder derivative action against his brother, he swore he didn’t, and proffered a company tax return to prove it. What’s a judge to do? Find out in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Court Dismisses Shareholder Derivative Action Due to Inconsistent Stock Ownership Claim in Prior Lawsuit

In corporate dissolution cases, sometimes the pressure to get the deal done can lead to an impromptu buy-out settlement agreement being made in court and read into the record, without adequate consideration of the complexities and pitfalls involved in the transfer of shares and the consequences of default. A recent decision by Justice Darrell Gavrin in Matter of D’Angelo, highlighted in this week’s New York Business Divorce, provides a good example of the things that can go wrong. …
Continue Reading The Perils of Impromptu Buy-Out Settlement Agreements

The equitable remedy of constructive trust comes to the rescue of a minority shareholder in a family-owned business in Quadrozzi v. Estate of Quadrozzi, decided last week by the Appellate Division, Second Department. It’s in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Case Illustrates Power of Constructive Trust to Establish Stock Ownership

This week’s New York Business Divorce revisits the fascinating case of Chiu v. Chiu on the occasion of a post-trial decision by Justice Allan Weiss in this long-running battle between two brothers over the ownership and valuation of a real estate holding company. Don’t miss it!
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Continue Reading Court Recasts Advances as Capital Contributions in Determining LLC Members’ Ownership Percentages

In an unusual corporate dissolution case involving 50/50 shareholders decided last month by Justice Emily Pines, the court compelled a buyout of the petitioner’s shares by the other shareholder notwithstanding the latter’s consent to dissolution. Get the full story in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Continue Reading Court Compels Buyout Despite Consent to Dissolution

The doctrine of “unclean hands” played a decisive role in a recent decision by Justice Emily Pines in Kimelstein v. Kimelstein, in which the court dismissed a dissolution petition brought by someone who admitted that he never formalized his stock interest to keep it hidden from his ex-wives and the government. It’s in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Continue Reading Unclean Hands Defense Defeats Petitioner’s Shareholder Status in Corporate Dissolution Suit

In New York, the common law right to judicial dissolution of a closely held corporation has existed for about 50 years, but there have few reported cases on the subject, which gives all the more reason to read this week’s New York Business Divorce highlighting an important decision earlier this month by Justice Alan Scheinkman in White v. Fee, denying a motion to dismiss a common law dissolution claim involving a family-owned business.
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Continue Reading Court Upholds Complaint Seeking Common Law Dissolution of Family-Owned Business

A recent decision by Justice Paul Feinman in Ng v. Ng illustrates the dilemma faced by a putative, undocumented shareholder in a close corporation who needs access to the corporate kit, tax and financial records — which generally only recognized shareholders are given — to establish his ownership claim. See how the court resolved the issue, in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Continue Reading Court Orders In Camera Review of Corporate Records in Fraternal Dispute Over Stock Ownership

A recent appellate decision in Armentano v. Paraco Gas Corp. reinstated a minority shareholder’s complaint charging the controlling shareholders with diluting his stake by issuing treasury shares to themselves. It’s in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Continue Reading Minority Shareholder Wins Appeal Challenging Grant of “Bonus” Treasury Shares to Controlling Shareholders

A lawsuit among siblings who co-own a business that owns and operates a boat yard is fodder for an interesting decision earlier this month by Suffolk County Commercial Division Justice Elizabeth Emerson in Gillette v. Sembler. The decision, which addresses the requirement for pre-suit demand for derivative claims, is featured in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Continue Reading Family Feud Highlights Hurdles to Derivative Actions Against Close Corporation Directors