Minority owners of closely held businesses are often shocked to learn what their business partner – usually the majority owner – has been doing with the company’s money.  In some cases, an investigation reveals that your worst suspicions are true, and your partner has actually started a competing company on the side.  » Read More

Often a minority shareholder who has issues with the majority owners and wants “out” is not alone; often more than one minority owner has the same, or at least similar, issues or complaints. But is “strength in numbers” always a good thing?  » Read More

There appears to be an uptick in the filing of meritless corporate shareholder and LLC member oppression claims in New Jersey.  Not everything that majority shareholders do that upsets a minority owner is worth spending legal fees to pursue.

When the only allegations one can make are a failure to keep an absentee shareholder fully informed of all business transactions, and a failure to obtain that minority shareholder’s consent to such transactions, that alone is rarely a recipe for successful litigation.  » Read More

A common theme among minority shareholders seeking legal representation is termination of employment.  Readers of this blog may be aware that termination can often constitute minority shareholder oppression, warranting a remedy such as a court-ordered buyout.  But, unfortunately, not all terminations are equal, as not all terminations constitute oppression. » Read More

In the last year or so, I have seen several business owners who are not very happy that New Jersey LLC members now have the same protection from minority oppression that is enjoyed by minority shareholders of corporations. To “protect” against such lawsuits, apparently several attorneys around the state are advising clients to add to Operating Agreements a clause that waives this protection. » Read More

I have written extensively about the difference between the law in New Jersey protecting a minority shareholder in a corporation, and the law protecting a minority member in a limited liability company (LLC).  Most lawyers practicing extensively in this area of law have long argued, and believed, that the statute protecting minority shareholders in a corporation from what is considered “shareholder oppression” does not apply to LLC’s (much as we may want it to).  » Read More