New York case law concerning shareholder rights to inspect books and records of foreign business entities is far from settled. This week’s New York Business Divorce features two recent decisions in books and records cases involving a Delaware corporation and a Nevada LLC, with mixed results.
Continue Reading Foreign Affairs of the Books and Records Kind

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The shareholder oppression claim under BCL 1104-a has a unique relationship with claims for money damages.

A minority shareholder petitioning for dissolution under BCL 1104-a must establish that the majority shareholders have engaged in “illegal, fraudulent or oppressive actions,” or that the “property or assets of the corporation are being looted, wasted, or diverted for non-corporate purposes by its directors, officers or those in control of the corporation.”

Based on that standard, it’s easy to imagine conduct by the majority that both meets the criteria for dissolution and constitutes a separate tort compensable with money damages (for instance, a claim for the majority’s breach of fiduciary duty).  For that reason, it’s very common to see a dissolution petition coupled with money damages claims, all arising out of the same conduct. 

But where the money damages claims are filed before the dissolution petition, a plaintiff might be forced to litigate those to completion prior to pursuing their dissolution petition.  That’s the tough lesson learned by the petitioner of a dissolution proceeding brought under BCL 1104-a, in Ramirez v Issa, 2024 N.Y. Slip Op. 33488[U] [NY County 2024], the subject of this week’s post.Continue Reading Corporate Dissolution Petition Hits Back Burner in Favor of Earlier Filed Claims for Money Damages

Road Trip

While there is tremendous diversity from state to state when it comes to statutory and judge-made law in business divorce cases, business valuation principles are—with a few notable exceptions—far more homogenous.  So it makes sense to occasionally venture beyond New York’s borders to see how other courts and experts are addressing the business valuation questions that New York-based business divorces often encounter.

This week’s post looks at several recent decisions across the country concerning valuation principles and discounts.  While each case features different applicable rules and agreements, our New York readers would be wise to note the persuasive power of these cases, especially given the sometimes-thin body of New York caselaw on business valuation issues.Continue Reading Cross-Country Valuation Check-Up: Discounts, Buy-Sell Agreements, and Ambiguity Potholes

While the general partnership form of business association is long past its prime, we still see the occasional partnership dispute make its way to court. This week’s New York Business Divorce looks at recent appellate decisions from Pennsylvania and New Jersey resolving novel issues in two such disputes.
Continue Reading Recent Appellate Rulings Address Novel Issues in General Partnership Disputes

This week in New York Business Divorce, read about yet another attempted bequest in a last will and testament of a valuable business interest foiled by a buy-sell provision in the entity’s contract. We’ll summarize some of the rules of law courts use to resolve the conflict.
Continue Reading A Gift Horse with Rotten Teeth: When Equity Bequests Violate Transfer Restrictions or Buy-Sell Agreements

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This week’s post concerns a decision out of the Delaware Chancery Court, in which the Court was tasked with determining whether the absolute litigation privilege bars the exercise of a contractual repurchase option triggered by claimed disparaging statements made in prior litigation.
Continue Reading Freedom (But with Consequences): In Delaware, Absolute Litigation Privilege Inapplicable to Nullify Contractual Non-Disparagement Repurchase Trigger

A torturously prolonged, 28-year litigation culminates in an important appellate decision affording plaintiffs suing for breach of fiduciary duty a more “lenient standard” for proving damages. Will other appeals courts do the same? Read about it in this week’s New York Business Divorce.
Continue Reading Breach of Fiduciary Duty: A More “Lenient Standard” for Damages?

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A recent decision from New York County Justice Reed inspires a closer look at the circumstances under which a minority LLC owner can compel the majority to make distributions.
Continue Reading Prudent Management or Financial Starvation: Can Minority Members Compel the Majority to Make Distributions?