Business Succession Planning

Business succession can be a difficult issue for families owning closely-held companies. In some cases, various family members are involved in the business while in other cases family members are relying on the continued operation of the company for their support.

Our attorneys have extensive experience working with closely-held companies in the St. Louis region and throughout Missouri to develop effective strategies and alternatives to navigate difficult situations and provide a smooth transition of ownership and control. We work closely with our clients in drafting and negotiating shareholder agreements, buy–sell agreements, voting trusts, ESOPs and other estate planning techniques to affect a smooth transition.

Corporate Restructurings

Our St. Louis corporate attorneys assist clients in planning, structuring and/or restructuring their corporate organizational structures and respective equity and debt structures.

As a trusted partner in protecting and advising closely-held businesses for the past 20 years, we use a multi-disciplined approach to develop strategies to mitigate liability exposure and negative tax consequences.  A core component of our services involve the formation of subsidiaries through which to conduct business operations and to protect critical assets, inter-affiliate agreements, redemption of equity holders and/or joint venture partners.

Choosing the Best Business Entity for your Needs

We routinely draft and negotiate all the documents necessary to form your business entity of choice, including:

• Articles
• Bylaws
• Operating Agreements
• Partnership Agreements
• Shareholder Agreements
• Resolutions
• Minutes and Voting Trusts

Private Securities Offerings

Our law firm is proud to play a pivotal role in helping St. Louis area businesses grow by representing start-ups and mature businesses in connection with raising capital through equity and/or debt securities offerings. Our corporate attorneys have substantial experience in determining the disclosure requirements in connection with private offerings of securities to prospective investors and federal and state securities enforcement officers.

We assist our business owner clients in understanding and preparing the necessary disclosure materials for delivery to prospective investors and fulfilling all necessary regulatory requirements in order to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 and state securities laws.