Business & Corporate Transactions

In today's dynamic and competitive business marketplace, companies need legal advisors who provide not only legal advice but business solutions. At Fitzgerald Abbott & Beardsley, our Business & Corporate Transactions Practice Group is committed to understanding our clients' industries and business objectives so that we can advise clients regarding the legal options that are best suited to meeting those objectives.

The Business & Corporate Transactions Practice Group forms, represents and advises all types of business entities, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and closely held and publicly owned corporations. The Group acts as local counsel for national corporations and financial institutions and as General Counsel for many local and regional companies. Our services include corporate formation and finance, corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, negotiation and preparation of all types of contracts and representation of parties in intracorporate relationships and shareholder disputes. Our clients are engaged in diverse industries including telecommunications, franchising, e-commerce, heavy equipment sales, computer software and hardware, manufacturing, dealerships, distributorships, import/export, healthcare and professional services.

As part of a multi-practice law firm, the Business & Corporate Transactions Practice Group is able to call upon attorneys in other firm practice areas including Litigation, Intellectual Property, Tax, Labor & Employment, Real Estate and Land Use, Environment & Natural Resources as warranted by our clients' needs. Working closely with these other groups, our attorneys are able to craft integrated business and legal solutions for our clients.

The Business & Corporate Transactions Practice Group also works in tandem with the Litigation Practice Group in managing shareholder disputes, both on the side of the Company and other times on behalf of a shareholder in litigating or preferably obtaining a favorable resolution pre-litigation. The Group's expertise with corporations and LLCs allows it to obtain greater advantage in pre-litigation shareholder disputes.

What FAB's Business & Corporate Transactions Practice Group Can Do For You

  • Contract Review and General Business Counseling

    • Contract review, interpretation, negotiation and preparation
    • Review and drafting of intellectual property licenses and distribution agreements, manufacturer's representative agreements, consulting contracts and software development agreements
    • Advice regarding enforceability of covenants not to compete; trade secret and non-solicitation agreements
    • Employee benefit and stock option plans and executive compensation programs

  • Formation

    • Formation, qualification, operation and dissolution/liquidation of and tax advice for businesses and joint ventures
    • Formation of and advice to nonprofit entities including educational, religious and charitable organizations as well as community and family foundations

  • Finance

    • Financing transactions including private placements and exempt offerings and investments from venture capitalists, angel investors and "friends and family"
    • Banking transactions
    • Equipment financing

  • Mergers and Acquisitions

    • Representation of sellers and purchasers in mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases, stock purchases, reorganizations and recapitalizations

  • Resolutions of Shareholder Disputes

    • Advice regarding partner, member and shareholder rights including dispute and dissolution negotiation
    • Advice regarding corporate officer and director duties and shareholders' rights

  • Succession Planning and Exit Strategies

    • Succession planning for family owned businesses