This is part 2 in our series of tips for new investments. In part one; we discussed the disadvantages of using standard form documents to govern the new investment or business. Now in tip #2, we are going to talk about the role of attorneys in the process.

The disadvantage of...

If you invest in ownership in a Texas corporation, limited liability company ("LLC") or Texas limited partnership ("LP"), and get shut out or suspect some act of mismanagement, the right under the Texas Business Organizations Code to ask for documents is an essential protection.

But until the 2017 Texas legislative session, if the...

Couples often spend months planning their wedding day details, from the color of the flowers to the icing on the cake.  What they often overlook, however, are the legal rules that will govern their property once they are married.  While the topic lacks romance, couples should seriously consider the benefits of entering into...

Not so long ago, marital pre-nups were viewed as devices solely for use by the rich and famous, who never seemed to stay married for long.  In today’s world, however, couples from all walks of life face a myriad of important financial and personal issues that a pre-nup can help them to address. ...

Based on our personal experience handling Business Divorce matters for both majority owners and substantial minority investors in private companies, we have learned firsthand that there are two sides to every story and every Business Divorce matter is unique.  But, we continue to be surprised by instances of outlandish behavior...

The season finale of the hit reality TV show The Bachelor attracted more than 8 million viewers. My wife and teenage daughters help make up this devoted fan base, and watch every episode. Yet, when I question them about whether the subject of a pre-nup agreement has ever come up on...

The legal tension is building.  Private Texas companies and their owners are awaiting a court decision that may force them to say “Howdy, Partner” to companies with whom they have no written partnership agreement. The case on which business eyes are focused is ETP v. Enterprise Products Partners, which is before the...

The ink is barely dry on the half billion dollar verdict that a Dallas federal court jury returned last week for ZeniMax Media against Oculus, a virtual reality company that Facebook acquired in May 2014. Even before the federal court issues a final judgment and Oculus files an inevitable appeal, however, the...

Picking the devil you know in selecting a business partner may seem like a good strategy.  But the list of celebrities who have suffered financially in their dealings with business partners is striking with losses totaling millions of dollars in some cases.  Uma Thurman lost $1 million. Sting lost $9.8 million. Billy Joel...

The flight attendants on commercial flights notify passengers where the exits on the plane are located. Fortunately, the vast majority of air travelers never have to put this advice to use.  In private companies, however, business partners head for the exits far more frequently as over the past decade, less than half...