For the established business, our attorneys counsel clients and provide outside general counsel services on most ongoing legal needs. When owners are ready to transition away from their business, we offer business succession planning services.
Our attorneys are valuable partners in strategic planning for businesses at any stage in their life cycle.
For the established business, our attorneys counsel clients and provide outside general counsel services on most ongoing legal needs such as employment matters, owner disputes, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, real estate acquisitions and sales, commercial collection, licensing, tax issues, contract development, contractual dispute resolution, and reorganization and bankruptcy issues.
When owners are ready to transition away from their business, we offer business succession planning services and assistance with a sale, merger or dissolution.
Employee Benefits
We have broad capabilities in the employee benefits arena. Our experience includes identifying special employee benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions, reviewing deferred compensation for compliance, design and compliance of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), following new legislation and monitoring clients’ benefits arrangements for compliance with ERISA, counseling clients on qualified plan correction and termination, and advising on complex tax issues.
Finance
Our firm represents borrowers and lenders in all kinds of financing. We have experience with unconventional real estate financing, conventional mortgage and other asset-secured financing, as well as familiarity with private placements made under trust indentures.
Outside General Counsel
We act as outside general counsel for private companies across Wisconsin and in a variety of industries, providing an efficient, single point of contact for all your business law needs. Our attorneys advise on day-to-day business operations issues, but also stand ready to provide specialized assistance as needed.
Business Succession Planning
One problem faced by owners of many non-publicly traded businesses is that there is no readily available market to sell their business. Business succession planning addresses this issue by devising a system for transferring the value of a business to the owner, heirs or others at an appropriate time and price while allowing for the continuity of the business.
Buy-Sell Agreements - Perhaps the most common business succession tool is a buy-sell agreement, which provides for the mandatory or optional buy-out of an owner's interest in the event of retirement, death, disability, divorce, bankruptcy, termination of employment, offers by outside parties, or disputes among owners. While the buy-sell agreement is one of the more common succession planning tools, we can also counsel clients on other pro-active strategies to protect value and continuity. Our business attorneys can assist owners in developing a strategy tailored to their business succession needs and goals.
Management and Leveraged Buyouts - Our attorneys guide clients through the entire leveraged buyout and leveraged acquisition process. We assist with acquiring the equity, negotiating and drafting acquisition documents, executing executive compensation arrangements, navigating tax implications, combining business operations, and conducting due diligence. We bring a lean, multidisciplinary approach to your transaction, assisting you with tax, benefits, finance, employment, and securities law where necessary.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) - Employee ownership is a valuable tool for ownership transition and financial planning. Our attorneys counsel businesses and owners on how to incorporate employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) into their business succession plans. We represent selling shareholders, sponsors, fiduciaries, and ESOP companies in the design, transaction, and compliance of ESOPs.