Best Lawyers in America for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
State
Michael High was the leader of the firm’s Business and Commercial Services Practice Group for more than 20 years and currently serves as co-leader of the Group. He has extensive experience in representing businesses, investors, lenders and borrowers in a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, including entity formation, shareholder/owner relations, corporate governance, drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex contracts, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, corporate fina...
Mr. Hirsch focuses his practice on representing individuals and companies engaged in real estate and business transactions. His clients include manufacturers and service providers in various industries, as well as tenants, landlords, developers, and lending institutions. Mr. Hirsch has experience in commercial real estate acquisitions, sales, development, financing, leasing and joint venture formation. He is also experienced in business acquisitions and sales, corporate organization/governanc...
Richard Nichol concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate law and business transactions as well as federal and state taxation. Richard also has extensive experience representing local, regional and national lenders in real estate and asset-based loan transactions. He has been involved in: the structuring of new businesses mergers, spin-offs and sales acquisitions involving corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies. His taxation experience includes not only tax planni...
Mr. August is a shareholder in the firm. Mr. August has been with the firm since 1994. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Planning and Probate by The Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bursiness Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude ...
RANDY E. FISHER is an attorney with the law firm of Thomas & Fisher, P.A. in Greenville, South Carolina. He practices in the areas of taxation, estate planning, trusts and estates, probate, partnership, limited liability company and corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions. 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 Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Taxation Law,...
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...
Jeffrey S. Perry 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 Tax Law. Jeffrey S., who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jennifer is a partner at Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell LLP. She serves as a high net worth family counselor with knowledge and understanding of sophisticated estate planning techniques and the broader needs of high net worth families. Her strength lies in communicating complex matters in plain terms and working collaboratively as part of an advisor team to provide practical counsel to multigenerational families consistent with their risk tolerance, goals, family dynamics, and desire for comple...
David C. Krock has over 34 years of experience as a lawyer, CPA (non-practicing), trust officer and tax advisor. His law practice is concentrated primarily in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, charitable planned giving, probate, tax and providing general counsel to small and medium size businesses. Mr. Krock is a member of Eastman & Smith. Mr. Krock graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1982 where he was a member of the law review. He is a mem...
Terry A. Moore 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, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Real Estate Law. Terry A., who practices law in Canton, Ohio, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Terry A. is held by other top lawyers ...
Michael F. Schaff is co-chair or the Corporate and Health Law teams at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Mr. Schaff assists healthcare providers and businesses of all sizes in evaluating both the legal and business ramifications of any transaction, contract, agreement or negotiation, leveraging an educational and professional background rooted in business, finance, and taxation. His healthcare practice includes the representation of healthcare professionals and group practices, hospitals, ...
M litigates high-stakes divorce and child custody cases, regularly handling multi-million dollar divorces involving closely-held businesses, commercial real estate valuation, fraud and concealed assets, executive benefits, trusts, and inherited wealth, in addition to high-conflict custody cases with allegations of abuse, alienation, or mental health complications. Their clients include business owners, public figures, entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, high-net-worth families, medical and leg...
Stephen T. Byrd 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, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Stephen T., who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen T. is held by other top law...
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...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.