Business and Life
Practice Areas
- Business Services
- Real Estate Law
- Personal Injury / Wrongful Death
- Civil Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Estate or Trust Administration
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Family Law
Business Services
Business moves our economy and for those who have chosen the entrepreneurial path, it could not be more true or personal. Our attorneys have spent their careers in dedicated work on behalf of business, both large and small. We understand your needs and have built our firm around responding both quickly and knowledgeably so that you can make informed decisions about the things that move your world.
We have the experience to help you take your business to the next level. Whether that is setting up a new business structure that will work best for you, expanding your business, or transitioning your business to your family, key employees, or third-party buyers, our attorneys have the knowledge and experience to complete the project efficiently and cost effectively.
Areas of Service
- Labor and Employment, advice and counsel
- Incorporation, LLCs, Partnerships
- Nonprofit Incorporation
- Employee Discipline, Discharge and Grievances
- Workplace Harassment and Discrimination
- Severance Agreements
- Family and Medical Leave
- Employee Contracts
- Banking and Commercial
- Creditor’s Rights
- Sales Tax Planning
- Outside General Counsel
Real Estate Law
We represent buyers, sellers, lenders, and real estate brokers and agents in the purchase, sale, and lease of real estate, whether commercial or residential. We can also help you defer paying unnecessary capital gains taxes through the strategic use of like-kind exchanges.
Our attorneys have represented international, national, and local developers in planning their development projects. We routinely appear for our clients in front of local governmental boards regarding the planning and approval of agricultural, residential, commercial, and industrial development projects. We also routinely assist our clients with obtaining local property tax abatements and rezoning matters to accommodate their business expansion.
Areas of Service
- Residential Services
- Commercial Services
- Property Development
- Land Use and Zoning
- Real Estate Litigation
- Property Tax Appeals
Personal Injury / Wrongful Death
We represent individuals and families who have been impacted by the carelessness and negligence of others. We use a personal yet aggressive approach to recovering fair compensation for the injured, and the families who have lost loved ones due to someone else’s negligence.
Civil Litigation
Represent clients in civil disputes, such as contracts, transactional disputes, landlord–tenant matters, employment and real estate; in state and federal courts (trial and appellate levels); in mediations and arbitrations; and before governmental agencies.
Environmental Law
We provide counsel to parties involved in commercial property transactions to minimize exposure to environmental risks. We also advise regarding the ins-and-outs of dealing with environmental regulatory agencies and, when necessary, defend those clients against claims brought by those agencies while identifying and securing sources of funding to clean up contamination.
Areas of Service
- Last Will and Testament
- Trusts
- Powers of Attorney
- Health Care Representatives
- Funeral Declarations
- Living Wills
- Designation of Guardians over Minor Children
- Charitable Giving
- Estate Tax Planning
Estate or Trust Administration
The loss of a loved one is terribly trying, particularly in these uncertain times. We know how to handle these stressful times, taking on the burden so that you and your family can grieve without worrying about handling what can be complicated financial decisions. We will walk beside you to administer the estate or trust, guiding you through the process from start to finish promptly and efficiently.
Areas of Service
- Probate Administration
- Trust Administration
- Intestate Administration (where no Last Will & Testament exists or cannot be located)
- Litigation over Administration of an Estate
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Legal disputes happen. We have a legal system that provides a solution for those disputes and it often results in years of stress and hardship on top of the extraordinary costs involved. In modern times, most of these disputes can be resolved prior to trial, through the use of trained third party neutral attorneys known as mediators. Mediators are trained to help parties find a middle ground that each can live with. It removes the decision-making from the judge or jury and puts the power back in your hands. While most mediators have experience in legal disputes, often that experience is not in the areas within which your dispute has arisen. If you or your business are experiencing a business, real estate or estate dispute, it is important to have a trained mediator who has deep experience in those very areas. Our attorney mediators have deep experience in the subject matter, and a wealth of trial experience coming from our representation of clients in those disputes. We bring that experience to bear to help you find a solution to complex problems. By working with each party to better understand their positions, we find we are often able to help the parties find a creative solution. Having the ability to have a meaningful voice in your resolution gives a party both certainly and a higher feeling of satisfaction than having a judge or strangers tell them what is going to happen to them. Being able to resolve a dispute can save valuable time and costs that can be better used elsewhere.
Family Law
When trying to define the meaning of “domestic relations” or “family law,” there is not a single definition that can apply, and the meaning will apply differently to each and every person. Domestic or family law cases typically involve issues of divorce, paternity, child support, child custody, third party custody, maintenance, division of marital assets, division of marital debts, division of a marital estate, economic issues, emancipation etc. Family law also involves prenuptial agreements, civil protection orders, post-secondary education expenses, legal separation, contempt proceedings, and settlement negotiations. This list is non-exhaustive and goes on and on. While more commonly defined as “probate,” issues of adoption and guardianship can also be described as family law.
Mediation is one of the strongest resources available to parties going through complex family law or domestic relations legal issues. Mediation grants parties the opportunity to resolve their conflicts without having to step foot in a Court room. If mediation is successful, all parties leave with a full understanding of the outcome of their case. Mediation takes out the unknown and unpredictable outcomes of litigation.
However, in the event litigation is necessary, we have a strong team of advocates and attorneys to help our clients. When searching for an attorney to represent you in your family law or domestic relations case, the most important consideration is to have an attorney who knows the law and can advise you every step of the way. We provide legal counsel to individuals who are likely going through one of the most challenging and emotional points of their life. We strive to obtain fair and equitable results for our clients whether through negotiation or litigation.
Areas of Practice
- Corporate Structuring and Business Transactions
- Business Succession and Estate Planning
- Regulatory, Licensing, and Permitting
- Transportation Contract Drafting and Review
- Risk Mitigation and Insurance Strategies
- Cargo and Freight Charge Claims
- International Cross-Border Transportation
- Excess Exposure Monitoring
- Outside General Counsel
- International Registration Plan Compliance
- International Fuel Tax Agreement Compliance
- Complex Litigation
- Employment, Confidentiality, and Non-Compete Agreements