Tampa Shareholder Dispute Attorney

Regardless of whether your business is a partnership with just a few people running the company, or a large corporation with officers and a board of directors, if shareholders are involved, there is always the chance that a dispute will arise. Our Tampa shareholder dispute attorney handles many legal issues involving shareholders. We help individuals and businesses with routine legal matters, such as reviewing agreements and contracts, and we also provide legal representation through shareholder litigation, which can become bitter and contentious.

Breaches of Fiduciary Duty

Corporate officers, directors, and managers owe shareholders a fiduciary duty. Likewise, there are times when majority shareholders have a controlling majority over a company and therefore, they owe a fiduciary duty to minority shareholders. There are many types of duties owed under the law, but a fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care. When a breach of fiduciary duty occurs, the offending party can be liable for any losses shareholders sustain.

Self-Dealing Corporate Officers

Self-dealing occurs when someone inside the company, such as a director or officer, takes advantage of their executive position in order to further their own self-interests and even placing these above the best interests of the partnership or corporation. Shareholders incur substantial financial losses when corporate officers engage in self-dealing and so, these disputes often result in litigation.

Derivative Lawsuits

A derivative lawsuit is one that is filed by shareholders on behalf of the corporation. Shareholders must prove certain elements of their case when filing these lawsuits. Shareholders must establish that the corporation has a valid legal claim but is not pursuing it for some reason. In many cases, corporations do not pursue legal action for personal reasons, such as if a corporate officer would be named as a defendant in the claim. Derivative lawsuits are notoriously complicated and so, it is important to have legal advice regardless of which side of the issue you are on.

Shareholder Oppression Claims

Shareholder oppression occurs when the majority shareholders of a corporation take any actions that are unfair to minority shareholders. This becomes a major issue for private partnerships and companies, as there is not always a clear path for minority shareholders to sell shares to protect the value of the shares.

Deadlock Disputes

When a dispute does not have a clear resolution, it is known as a deadlock dispute. This can be an issue for small companies with a limited number of shareholders. In some instances, a deadlock dispute can be between two or more parties who can agree on an important decision. Or, a deadlock dispute can arise when the articles of incorporation require a unanimous vote but one cannot be reached.

Contact Our Shareholder Dispute Attorney in Tampa Today

At BBDG Law, our Tampa shareholder dispute attorney has extensive experience handling many aspects of these types of disputes. To learn more, contact us today by calling (813) 221-3759 or fill out our online form to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help with your case.