You took an ownership stake in a Minnesota company, expecting a voice in how the business runs and a fair share of what it earns. Now your majority partner has cut you out of meetings, ended your salary or stopped distributions while their own income keeps flowing....
A minority shareholder in a closely held corporation often finds themselves in a vulnerable position. Unlike a public stock, you cannot simply sell your shares on an open exchange if you feel unhappy with how the company runs. This lack of a market forms the...
In Minnesota, minority owners in a business have strong legal rights. These rights protect them from unfair treatment by the people who own most of the company. The law usually protects these small-scale owners from unfair treatment. However, there are rare times when...
Forced buyouts don’t happen just because shareholders disagree. They happen when the conflict hits a legal threshold. In Iowa, the law outlines specific situations where a court can step in and force one party out. Here’s what typically triggers that kind of...
How do business leaders breach their fiduciary duties? Breaches of fiduciary duty occur when business leaders and other people in a fiduciary position break their legal promise to act with their company’s best interests in mind. Being wary of when these breaches might...
A breach of fiduciary duty is what happens when a business leader breaks their legal promise to act in the best interests of the company, typically by prioritizing their own. This often comes at the expense of the company. When business leaders abuse their position of...
Family businesses are wonderful additions to communities because they create jobs for many. From the inside, the owners keep money within members and the decision-making close to home. However, close relationships are prone to legal tension when owners disagree about...
Schwartz Law Firm recently secured a highly favorable ruling in a complex shareholder appraisal dispute following a statutory merger for its Iowa based client (plaintiff). The case centered on the fair value of a minority shareholder’s stake in a closely held...
Owning shares in a private corporation can give you a financial stake in the company, but it may not guarantee you equal influence. Minority shareholders hold fewer shares than controlling owners, which can limit their decision-making power. Even so, the law provides...
Corporate governance is how a company is managed and the rules that guide its decisions. It involves shareholders, board members, and executives. Good corporate governance makes sure that everyone works in the best interest of the company. When shareholder disputes...