Business Overview

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Known for our business acumen and legal service across multiple generations, business advice and counsel is a marquee practice of the firm. Bolstered by decades of legal experience and business knowledge, we blend our legal training with backgrounds in economics and finance, to provide in-depth legal counsel on business and related issues for companies throughout the Bay Area.

Emerging Companies & Entrepreneurs

We thrive on trailblazing entrepreneurial vision to create a viable roadmap for new businesses to grow and succeed. Our relationships with emerging companies often begin at ground zero and continue throughout their life cycle. We supplement our hands-on knowledge with access to a comprehensive network of curated referral sources to get your business off to a good start.

Formation & Dissolution

From start-up to exit strategies we adeptly manage the full range issues to plot the course of business throughout your company’s life cycle. We provide the strategic framework, handle the legal requirements to get your business up and running, and work with you on negotiation and exit options when it is time to move on.

Outside General Counsel

We frequently serve as outside general counsel to handle a full range of legal issues for our business clients. As trusted thought leaders, we advise on key issues ranging from strategic corporate transactions, franchise, and ownership concerns to contract negotiations, dispute resolution, employment, and regulatory matters.

Family-owned Businesses

Ranging from-and-pop shops to sophisticated inter-generational business structures and family offices, marquee business clients, closely-held companies, and independent operators rely on our advice and counsel. Familiar with the complex issues that define family businesses and drive succession planning, we successfully accommodate all aspects of multi-faceted family operations.

Nonprofits

The firm’s historical focus on community support and estate planning provides a foundation for our legal counsel on nonprofit organizations and philanthropic vehicles to magnify charitable giving. We draw on our experience with non-profit and tax-exempt corporate law and our involvement with community organizations to further inform our advice and counsel in this arena.

Wine Law

Our proximity to a host of local vintners gives us unique insights to navigate the complexities of wine law. From regulatory issues impacting viticulture and winemaking practice to labeling and trademark considerations, we offer right-size legal counsel to meet the unique needs of our wine industry clients.