Services

Commercial Litigation Services, at a Glance

Business and Commerical Litigation.

Including breach of contract, employment law, general tort litigation and more [...] Read more about business litigation.

Shareholder Disputes.

Including breach of fiduciary duty, buy/sell agreements, freeze out and more [...] Read more about shareholder disputes

Buy-Sell Agreements.

Buy-Sell Agreements frequently provide the only practical manner [...] Read more about Buy-Sell agreements

Minority Shareholder Rights.

We provide a complete suite of capabilities to prevent and protect [...] Read more about minority shareholder rights

Partnership Disputes.

We provide our clients with a full residential and [...] Read more about partnership disputes

Minority Shareholder Oppression.

Now more than ever, small businesses can turn suddenly and sharply for better or worse [...] Read more about protecting yourself from minority shareholder rights

Membership Disputes.

The most common causes of membership disputes and how to protect yourself [...] Watch this video listing common causes of shareholder disputes

Family Business Litigation.

Businesses involving family members can complicate the legal process when not handled properyl [...] Read more about family business litigation results

Non-Compete Litigation.

Non-compete litigation can be complex and expensive, so it is important to consult with an attorney if you are considering signing or enforcing a non-compete agreement. [...] Learn more about non-compete contracts

A History of Business Litigation Results

Breach of Contract - Business Litigation

Joel was lead trial counsel representing several related corporations in this shareholder oppression litigation. Plaintiffs’ Complaint alleged shareholder oppression, fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, usurpation of corporate opportunities and self-dealing. Plaintiffs sought almost $100 million in damages. The Plaintiffs’ case was eviscerated in their cross examinations. At the close of Plaintiffs’ proofs, the case settled. Plaintiffs gave up all damage claims, Joel’s clients waived their right to attorneys’ fees from the Plaintiffs, and the case was dismissed with prejudice.

Commercial Litigation/Debtor Creditor - Commercial Litigation

H. Joel Newman recently defended a prominent Michigan family against a $30,000,000 lawsuit brought by a large bank alleging conversion, conspiracy, fraud, unjust enrichment, alter ego, piercing the corporate veil, and violation of the Michigan Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. The bank used at least 7 attorneys from 3 law firms, and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the accounting firm of its principal witness. We obtained numerous admissions from this witness in a three day deposition, which completely destroyed the bank's case. Immediately after the deposition, several motions were filed to have the case dismissed. The bank agreed to dismiss the case completely before the hearing on the motions.Our clients walked away free from a potential $30,000,000.00 exposure.

LLC Member Oppression - Shareholder Litigation

We represented a 1/3 member in an LLC which owned 10 separate entities, each of which operated a franchise restaurant. We filed a 10 Count Complaint against the controlling members in the Oakland County Circuit Court alleging, among other things, member oppression, breach of the operating agreement, breach of fiduciary duties owed to our client as a member, breach of fiduciary duties owed to the LLC, usurpation of LLC opportunities and civil conspiracy. Defendants were represented by a well-known and very aggressive attorney in one of the larger area law firms. Eight months into the lawsuit, Defendants capitulated and agreed to a settlement which included damages and a buy out of our client's interest at more than 10 times the amount of the value claimed by Defendants.

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H. Joel Newman rated a top attorney in Michigan:

Super Lawyers: H Joel Newman has been top rated Super Lawyer in Michigan for several years.
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AVVO: Superb 10 rating for Top Attorney Litigation.
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dBusiness: Based on a dBusiness poll of 19,000 Michigan attorneys in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, and Livingston counties.
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Martindale-Hubbell: Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Peer rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence.
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