Sheehan Phinney attorneys practicing in the Private Companies and Professional Practices Group represent a wide variety of private companies, including closely-held, entrepreneurial and family-owned businesses, as well as professional practices such as physicians, dentists, architects, accountants, engineers, and other professionals.
Our attorneys regularly address such matters as:
- Entity Formation and Governance
- Business tax and succession planning
- Equity and debt financing
- Real estate and equipment leasing and acquisition
- Personnel incentive compensation issues
- Acquisition and sale of enterprises
- Intellectual property and asset protection
- Regulatory and legislative matters
- Preparation and negotiation of contracts relating to the production, purchase, sale and distribution of goods and services
Our attorneys are highly skilled at negotiating and drafting a broad spectrum of business-related documents and have extensive experience in counseling clients on the many legal issues facing their business or practice. We routinely provide advice to clients from the inception of their business or practice, which may include:
- Choice of entity formation
- Drafting governance documents
- Shareholder agreements
- Tax considerations
- Regulatory matters
- Multi-jurisdictional business activities
- Assistance with financing (debt and equity)
- Development and retention of key employees
- Preparation of commercial leases, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, joint venture documents and other significant contractual relationships – to the ultimate sale, merger, or succession of their business or practice, which regularly includes counsel in connection with transaction documents, risks and evaluation, consideration of cash, deferred, earn-out or equity payments, and continuation of employment and benefits for and non-competition by selling business principals.
To the extent that specialized services in the areas of tax, intellectual property, benefits or international trade experience are necessary, we work with tax specialists, certified public accountants, employee benefit plan specialists, import/export specialists, and intellectual property specialists from within and outside the firm, who bring their expertise to bear as an integral part of our comprehensive services. Attorneys who serve healthcare professional practices are also members of the firm’s Health Care Practice Group. In addition, we have access to counsel and resources in more than 160 jurisdictions worldwide through our participation in Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms.
The group represents numerous entities, including contractors, publishers, distributors, real estate holding companies, recreational facilities, equipment leasing companies, retail stores, health care facilities, service providers, the hospitality industry, technology companies, insurers, timber and wood products companies, manufacturers and transportation companies.
