An appellate ruling last week in a dispute between a putative 50% LLC member and the other party claiming to be the sole member raises the issue whether a written operating agreement, to be enforceable, requires signatures. Read more in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Court Grants 50% LLC Member Derivative Right to Defend Action Brought by Other 50% Member’s Solely Owned Company
By Peter A. Mahler on
In a first impression ruling, the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld an LLC member’s derivative right to defend litigation brought against the LLC by one of its other members. Read about it in this week’s New York Business Divorce. …
Continue Reading Court Grants 50% LLC Member Derivative Right to Defend Action Brought by Other 50% Member’s Solely Owned Company
Can LLC Agreement Waive Right to Sue Derivatively? Not in These Two Cases
By Peter A. Mahler on
Derivative actions brought by LLC members take the spotlight for the second week in a row, this time featuring a pair of noteworthy decisions involving Delaware and Nevada LLCs in which the defendants argued that the plaintiff’s right to sue derivatively was waived by the operating agreement. Learn more in this week’s New York Business Divorce. …
Continue Reading Can LLC Agreement Waive Right to Sue Derivatively? Not in These Two Cases
Operating Agreement Dooms Derivative Claims by Deceased LLC Member’s Estate
By Franklin C. McRoberts on
May the executor of a deceased LLC member’s estate sue derivatively on behalf of the LLC? Find out in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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LLC Member Expulsion: What Hath Shapiro Wrought?
By Peter A. Mahler on
The Appellate Division in Shapiro v Ettenson interpreted New York’s LLC Law as permitting the adoption of post-formation LLC operating agreements by majority vote, i.e, without the consent of the minority. This week’s New York Business Divorce focuses on Shapiro’s impact on member expulsion. …
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The LLC Equitable Buyout: Past, Present, Future
By Franklin C. McRoberts on
In less than a decade the LLC “equitable buyout” doctrine went from non-existent to settled law in New York. How did it happen? What happens next? Read on in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Will Someone Please Re-Name the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing?
By Peter A. Mahler on
The implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing continues to sow confusion as to its utility and application in disputes among business co-owners, in which often it is misconceived as a quasi-fiduciary claim invoking the court’s equity powers to right any wrong, when in fact it is a narrow, contract-based doctrine. A recent Delaware Chancery Court decision provides a highly useful guide, as explained in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Will Someone Please Re-Name the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing?
The Purposeless Purpose Clause Makes a Comeback — Or Does It?
By Peter A. Mahler on
Remember the “purposeless purpose clause” that featured prominently in last summer’s appellate ruling in the LLC dissolution case, Mace v Tunick? On remand, following a trial, Justice Alan Scheinkman once again dismissed the case. Find out why in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
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Winter Case Notes: LLC Deadlock and Other Recent Decisions of Interest
This week’s New York Business Divorce offers its annual Winter Case Notes with synopses of five recent decisions in business divorce cases involving LLC dissolution, cash-out merger, LLC member expulsion, and more. …
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Delaware Contractarian Principles Prevail in Appeal Over Deceased Ace Hotel Founder’s LLC Interest
By Franklin C. McRoberts on
It’s better to burn out than to fade away. But what happens when death converts an LLC interest from full membership rights to mere assignee status? Read on in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Delaware Contractarian Principles Prevail in Appeal Over Deceased Ace Hotel Founder’s LLC Interest