Business Divorce

Business Divorce

To small and mid-size business owners, the unfortunate truth is that sometimes the hardest problems can come from within.  The reason, of course, is that a business, like most anything in this world, turns on human relationships.

And as with any human relationship, there are bound to be ups and downs in your business. Businesses are made up of human beings – and human beings can develop different visions for their company’s future, can find themselves sideways from a mission perspective with their partners or employer, and can even develop personal animosity toward each other.

At Crisham & Holman, we understand this reality, and we work hard to help companies dealing with precisely these sorts of issues.  Like the results we have obtained for other companies and individuals, we will learn what makes your business tick, we will boil down the human issues that have developed, and we will work to help you achieve the best result for you and your company – whether that involves a buyout, pre-litigation negotiation and resolution, or litigation itself.

In our experience helping companies navigate these situations, we have been able to zero in on the outcome our clients want to achieve, and to take the best approach needed to achieve that result.  For example, we have helped our clients structure buyouts, separations, and settlements that have allowed the members of a failed partnership amicably to go their separate ways, and we have pursued more aggressive tactics to make our clients whole.

Whether your situation involves the misattribution of the company’s track record, violations of non-competition provisions, improper business practices, or even the misappropriation or misuse of company trade secrets, our law firm is committed to helping your company weather the storm.  We have done just that for other companies, and we can help you find the right resolution for your business too.

Representative Matters:

• After aggressive prosecution and litigation of claims involving allegations of misattributed track records and deal credits in the private equity space, obtained favorable settlement of all claims and counterclaims in case involving dissatisfied co-founders, enabling one co-founder to exit the business and the other to continue his business operations as he desired.  
• Defended company and its founders against intellectual property and trade secrets claims in case centering on technology issues in the warehouse management sector, which ultimately led to a successful settlement of all claims to clients’ high satisfaction.
• Helped creative inventor and designer of novel outsole products avoid litigation in case involving threats of trade secret misappropriation and violations of non-compete provision in pre-litigation setting, avoiding the need to incur time and expense defending against such claims in court.
• Defended owner and company in bar and restaurant in dispute arising from claims of misuse of trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property, successfully reaching a resolution without resort to litigation.  
• Represented designer of cutting-edge women’s clothing lines from allegations of violations of contractual non-solicitation, non-competition, and disparagement claims, and aggressively pursued claims on behalf of client surrounding questionable civil-rights and accounting actions taken by certain employees of the former employer.  Successfully avoided litigation with very favorable resolution for client.
• Represented shareholder of family company in negotiating a favorable buyout.

About Crisham & Holman:

Crisham & Holman is a boutique litigation firm that delivers elite legal representation and excellent customer service. Our team takes a client-centered approach to every case, ensuring that your needs, and the needs of your business, are the centerpiece of our litigation strategy. We are innovative, nimble and ready to take strategic action to protect your interests and achieve your litigation objectives.