I've been doing deals and writing contracts for over 35 years. In negotiations I seek solutions that are favorable to my client and acceptable to the other side. When drafting the contract I try to leave as little room as possible for misunderstanding and dispute. No contract I have written has ever ended up in litigation.
Before opening my own office in Franklin in 1996 I worked in the corporate finance and emerging companies departments of one of Pittsburgh's largest law firms and served as in-house counsel for a leveraged buy-out firm. I continue to handle business transactions and contracts of all sizes, from the sale in 2009 of a chemical instruments company for $40 million to the purchase in 2010 of a highway right-of-way mowing business for $25,000. My experience includes:
Business formation and governance - formation of corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies, and negotiation and preparation of shareholder agreements, limited partnership agreements, and limited liability company operating agreements.
Purchase and sale of businesses - representation of buyers and sellers of privately held businesses, including radio stations, computer software and multimedia developers, an analytical chemical instruments manufacturer, a steel mill, a plastics injection molding company, a wire spring manufacturer, a construction company, a bar, an office products retailer, a builders' supply business, a travel agency, a pottery shop, convenience stores, gas stations, car washes, funeral homes, a pizza shop, and professional practices.
Technology development and licensing - negotiation and preparation of agreements for the development and licensing of technology, including scientific equipment and processes, computer software, computer hardware, multimedia presentations, construction methods, and scientific instrumentation. (I am not, however, a patent lawyer and do not search or register patents, trademarks, or copyrights.)
Other contracts - negotiating, writing, reviewing, interpreting, and advising concerning contracts for many types of transactions, including agreements for the purchase and sale of real estate; promissory notes; mortgages; office and plant leases; oil and gas leases; employment and severance agreements; noncompetition, ownership of inventions, and confidentiality covenants; marketing agreements; franchise offering documents and agreements; and government contracts.
