Best Lawyers in America for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

Norman H.Y. Cheng is Managing Director of the firm. Mr. Cheng concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, commercial leasing, business structuring, hotels and resorts, and general commercial transactions. His experience includes working on a variety of projects such as condominium development, land use permitting, structured finance, construction agreements and business sales. Mr. Cheng holds Martindale-Hubbell's ® highest possible professional rating AV® given to him by ot...

Mr. Merline is a shareholder in the firm. Mr. Merline has been with the firm since 1983. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Plan­ning and Probate Law by The Supreme Court of South Caroli­na. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the following fields: Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Employee Benefits Law, Litigation - ERISA, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Litigation and...

David R. Tavolier is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Law and Tax Law. David R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brian Steadman is a member of the firm’s management committee and focuses his practice in the areas of tax planning, estate planning, business planning and asset protection. Brian has extensive experience in assisting clients with all areas of tax, estate and charitable planning, including: Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Special Needs Trusts, Trust Decanting, Gift Trusts for Children and Grandchildren, Generation-Skipping Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Qualified Pers...

Timothy J. Krumm is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Corporate Law. Timothy J., who practices law in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Timothy J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Don Rafferty combines his experience in the areas of business restructuring, commercial finance, corporate law, and litigation to provide legal and strategic advice to the firm’s business clients on a wide range of issues. Don frequently counsels clients who either are experiencing financial stress or are dealing with distressed companies. He has advised on sales, acquisitions, and restructurings for numerous middle-market companies. Don has significant experience in transactions, dispu...

David Connell is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Portland office and a member of the Firm’s Corporate Practice Group. Mr. Connell has extensive experience in the emerging growth, technology, nonprofit and social enterprise, energy, and healthcare sectors and often serves as general counsel to business and nonprofit enterprises. He began his career as a tax attorney with an international accounting firm, and brings his tax and finance experience to the table when advising clients.

Clifford J. Miller is Co-Founder of the firm, a Senior Member of its Executive Committee, and Chairman of the Business/Real Estate practice group. For more than 37 years Cliff has represented and advised institutions and individuals in a broad and widely varied range of business matters, including the following: · Structuring, negotiating and documenting commercial and residential real estate development projects, acquisitions and dispositions, including office buildings, resort hotels...

Caroline is a business lawyer who helps businesses expand, transition ownership, negotiate commercial financing, form, wind-up, or sell. Caroline’s practice also involves real estate, including condominium and timeshare developments, corporate compliance, securities, regulatory matters, land use, and commercial litigation. Caroline advises her clients on transactional matters, how to avoid litigation, and what to do and expect if litigation occurs. She continues to be selected by her pe...

Jeff has a business-focused practice specializing in the areas of corporate law, banking and financial services, commercial finance, real estate and land use law. He advises a wide array of clients in all phases of institutional lending, including loan structuring, negotiating and drafting credit transaction documentation. Additionally, he provides advice to a variety of business clients regarding general corporate transactions, including organizational, development, funding and start-up issu...

Craig P. Wagnild is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Corporate Governance Law and Real Estate Law. Craig P., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Craig P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mr. Peel practices primarily in transactions, corporate formations, restructurings and financing, mergers and acquisitions, real estate leasing and acquisitions, and general estate planning. His clients include local and regional businesses and office and retail shopping centers. Mr. Peel received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Minor in Business Management from Brigham Young University, where he also received All-American honors as a member BYU's Men's Lacrosse team. He receive...

The focus of Mr. Wynn’s practice is business transactions and estate and business planning for individual and corporate clients. As part of his corporate practice, Mr. Wynn advises clients regarding mergers and acquisitions, sale contracts, employment agreements, covenants not to compete, nondisclosure covenants, loan agreements, security agreements, leases, securities registration statements, private placement memorandums, stock-option plans, and shareholder agreements. Mr. Wynn also a...

Mr. Blachly represents middle-market and growth companies, their owners and management, entrepreneurs, and investors on a range of matters, including business organization, capitalization, acquisitions and sales of businesses, leveraged buy-outs and recapitalizations, private offerings of equity and debt, succession planning, joint ventures, strategic alliances, technology licensing, and commercial contracts. Mr. Blachly's clients come from diverse fields, including software development and d...

Mike Moeddel has a breadth of experience in structuring and negotiating complex business transactions and representing businesses in a general counsel capacity. He has represented both publicly held and private companies in acquisitions and divestures of existing businesses. Transactions on which Mike has worked include cross-border acquisitions by publicly held companies; the sale of large family-owned enterprises to private equity firms and other sophisticated purchasers; international join...

Emily Horn’s experience as in-house legal counsel and as a certified public accountant enables her to truly understand her clients’ businesses and to offer them practical solutions. Emily advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, securities issuances and regulation, the use of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), commercial contracts, corporate governance, and general corporate matters. She has represented a variety of clients, including corporate ESOP sponsors, ESOP trustee...