Corporate, Tax and Commercial Law

Business First Perspective

We approach our corporate, tax and commercial law practice primarily from a businessperson’s perspective, providing legal services in a manner which implements creative and practical solutions that maximize value and minimize risk to our clients. Several of our attorneys have spent years in the business world and understand first hand the legal, financial and operational intricacies of managing a business. We understand the issues that a business person confronts on a daily basis. Because of this perspective, we are attentive to the economic significance of providing legal services in a cost effective manner. Significantly, we have developed strong personal relationships with our clients, serving in many respects as unofficial “outside board of directors” when our clients find themselves dealing with issues such as (i) debt and equity financing, (ii) acquisition or disposition transactions, (iii) tax planning or tax controversy matters, (iv) employment related matters, including incentive compensation planning and sensitive termination and discrimination issues, (v) managing family business issues, (vi) methods and alternatives in maximizing shareholder value and (vii) structuring comprehensive business succession plans. We pride ourselves on delivering practical, comprehensive and technically sophisticated legal solutions to our clients.

Over the course of many years, we have developed a substantial understanding of the specific issues confronting clients involved in manufacturing, professional practice, distribution, hospitality, telecommunications, entertainment, insurance, real estate and retail and service businesses.

Our Specialties

We represent clients in a wide variety of commercial matters such as:

• joint ventures and other strategic business arrangements;
  
  
• acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and business assets;
  
  
• private equity fund formation and investments;
  
  
• entity structure and formation;
  
  
• shareholders’ and partnership agreements; • contract negotiation and drafting;
  
  
• corporate governance matters;
  
  
• sophisticated and complex tax planning, structured transaction and tax controversy matters;
  
  
• negotiation of secured and unsecured credit facilities;
  
  
• licensing and service agreements;
  
  
• trademark, copyright and franchising matters;
  
  
• the legal implications of mass marketing and advertising practices and materials;
  
  
• employment agreements and restrictive covenants;
  
  
• general employee and executive compensation planning and implementation;
  
  
• development of employee manuals and techniques to promote a positive workplace; and
  
  
• tax exempt organizations and not-for-profit ventures.

For further information please contact:

Scott A. Augustine
(770) 951-6785
saugustine@hssw.com

Joe DeLisle
(770) 951-6787
jdelisle@hssw.com

Attorneys

  Augustine, Scott A.

  Buckley, Amanda J.

  Cox, Paul J.

  DeLisle, Josef A.

  Halfman, Ashley A.

  Henderson, Christopher T.

  Magee, Kyle P.

  Pawlak Jr., Peter J.

  Schwab, Chris A.