A family business or closely-held company can offer many rewards as well as challenges. In fact, doing business with family or friends creates a distinct structure that often transforms routine business matters into elaborate interplays of personal dynamics.

The attorneys at Lashly & Baer, P.C., understand the issues that make family and closely-held businesses unique. We advise family and closely-held businesses from inception through exit strategy and provide counseling for private companies transitioning to public companies and back again. When necessary, we also assist families and businesses with succession planning and other estate matters.

We regularly handle the following legal issues for our clients:

• Asset purchase agreements
• Business taxation
• Buy-sell arrangements
• Capital needs
• Closely-held business estate planning
• Closely-held corporations
• Earn-out agreements
• Employment agreements
• Family business successions
• Financial powers of attorney
• Financing
• Governance issues
• Joint ventures
• Letters of intent
• Life insurance
• Limited liability companies
• Mergers
• Non-competition agreements
• Operating agreements
• Operational issues
• Partnerships
• Proprietorships
• Revocable living trusts
• Rights of first refusal
• Shareholder and equity owner agreements
• Shareholder redemptions
• Sole proprietorships
• Stock purchase agreements
• Succession plans
• Tax minimization and tax planning
• Transferring or preserving control of a business entity