Legalities & Realities®: The Blog

Contracts are foundational in business, employment, matrimonial, and trust and estate matters, especially when significant assets and interests are involved. Yet, when contract terms regarding performance become unclear or are challenged, how do courts determine what the parties initially intended?

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, a case that could significantly change the landscape for employment discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

When high-stakes disputes arise involving businesses, partnerships, or substantial personal assets, the valuation of those assets often becomes central to litigation outcomes. Whether you face a partnership breakup, a contested corporate transaction, a contentious divorce, or a complex trust and estate matter involving business interests, understanding valuation litigation can significantly impact your financial future.

For successful professionals and business owners, protecting what you’ve built means more than managing growth, it means minimizing exposure to the legal disputes that can derail everything. One issue that’s often overlooked, but frequently lands in litigation, is what happens when a member of a limited liability company (“LLC”) dies.

Trusts have long been a cornerstone of sophisticated estate planning, allowing individuals and families to preserve wealth, protect assets, and ensure financial security for future generations. For business owners, executive professionals, and high-net-worth individuals, trusts serve as powerful tools to separate and safeguard assets.

When a bank-account owner passes away, what happens next depends on how the account was structured. For business owners, executives, and professionals, understanding these nuances is important for protecting assets and avoiding unnecessary entanglement in probate court.

When litigation involves substantial business assets, executive compensation, trust and estate matters, or high-net-worth divorces, discovery compliance is critical. Courts expect parties to conduct thorough, transparent searches for requested documents—and when records cannot be found, a Jackson affidavit may be required to explain why.

In high-stakes litigation, the discovery process plays a crucial role. This applies to business disputes, employment conflicts, matrimonial asset divisions, and trust and estate contests. Courts expect parties to conduct thorough searches for relevant documents, and failing to do so can lead to serious consequences. One important tool in complex litigation is the Jackson affidavit, a sworn statement detailing a party’s efforts to locate requested records.