The test for dissolution of an LLC includes whether its purpose as defined in the LLC agreement is no longer achievable. This week’s New York Business Divorce looks at cases, including a Delaware Chancery Court decision released days ago, in which courts have looked outside the agreement to determine the LLC’s purpose.
Continue Reading Finding Purpose Outside the LLC Agreement

The intensely personal dynamic of a family business divorce can lead to a multitude of applications to the court for interim relief in an effort to gain the higher ground financially and psychologically. This week’s New York Business Divorce highlights a case in which Justice Emily Pines addressed dueling motions by step-siblings for interim, mandatory injunctions in a battle for control of their late father’s auto dealerships.
Continue Reading Court Denies Mandatory Injunctive Relief in Battle for Control of Family Business

New York Business Divorce proudly presents its seventh annual list of the past year’s ten most noteworthy business divorce cases, along with short summaries and links to prior posts on the featured cases. Happy New Year!
Continue Reading Top Ten Business Divorce Cases of 2014

Does an LLC subscription agreement, barring transfer of “any interest therein,” bar the later transfer of the acquired membership interest? The answer, recently provided by a Manhattan appellate panel in Gartner v. Cardio Ventures, LLC, is discussed in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading LLC Subscription Agreement No Bar to Transfer of Membership Interest

There’s sure to be fireworks — or at least litigation — when one of two 50% members of an LLC attempts to terminate the other for wrongful conduct as vaguely defined in the LLC agreement, as illustrated in an appellate ruling last month in Harker v. Guyther, featured in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Court Construes Member Expulsion Provision in LLC Agreement

This week’s New York Business Divorce highlights a fascinating case involving a chain of walk-in airport spas known as XpresSpa, in which Justice Melvin Schweitzer recently ruled that the structuring of a capital investment by a private equity firm triggered a dissolution of XpresSpa’s parent company under the terms of its operating agreement.
Continue Reading Transfer of LLC’s Assets to Subsidiary Triggers Unintended Dissolution

In a two-member, 50/50 LLC, can Member #1 as sole managing member assert a fiduciary breach claim against non-managing Member #2? Justice Vito DeStefano recently tackled the question in Kalikow v. Shalik, highlighted in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Court Dismisses Fiduciary Breach, Contribution Claims Against Non-Managing LLC Member