Small businesses, executives, professionals, entrepreneurs and developers in Wisconsin have come to rely on our experience and winning record in meeting legal challenges, protecting their investments and helping them prosper. We help business people:

• Develop, structure, operate, buy, sell, merge, and transfer businesses
• Form new corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies
• Develop, build, buy, lease, sell and exchange commercial real estate
• Negotiate, draft and enforce commercial contracts and employment agreements
• Preserve wealth with marital agreements, trusts and succession planning
• Protect businesses and successfully resolve disputes, law suits and divorces

While our goal is to help resolve legal issues in a cost-effective and amicable way, there are times when aggressive action is necessary to get results and value for our clients. We have often used our expertise and tenacity successfully in business litigation, including the following reported cases:

Business Lease and Property Tax Exemption Issues

City of Franklin vs. Crystal Ridge, Inc., 180 Wis.2d 561 (Sup. Ct. 1994)
City of Franklin vs. Crystal Ridge, Inc., 174 Wis.2d 358 (Ct. App. 1993)

From the trial court, to the Court of Appeals, to the Supreme Court, we successfully challenged the City's tax assessment on a ski hill and lodge operated by our client on land leased from the County. The Supreme Court agreed that Milwaukee County was the real owner of the buildings constructed by Crystal Ridge on County lands, and that the property was thus exempt from taxation. As a result our client saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in property taxes.

Shareholder/Director/Officer Liability for Environmental Contamination

Surinak v. Kaishian, 97-CV-0821 & 97-0395 (Ct. App. 1997 Unpublished)

We successfully defended, with co-counsel, against a business buyer's claim that a former company shareholder, director and officer was personally liable for $300,000 in environmental damage caused by the company's manufacturing operations. The Trial Court found that our client was not personally responsible and dismissed plaintiff's claim. Plaintiff appealed and the dismissal was upheld by the Court of Appeals. As a result our client saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential liability.