Every business owner eventually faces a difficult decision.

• Should we invest in a new product line?
• Should we terminate an executive?
• Should we reject a buyout offer?
• Should we retain earnings instead of making distributions?
• Should we approve a merger or acquire another company?

Business leaders are expected to make decisions under uncertain conditions. Some decisions succeed. Others, despite careful analysis and honest intentions, do not.

Recognizing that reality, New York law has long embraced an important legal principle known as the Business Judgment Rule.

For business owners, corporate directors, LLC managers, trustees, and minority owners, understanding this doctrine can make the difference between avoiding unnecessary litigation and recognizing when legal action may be justified.

What is the Business Judgment Rule?

The Business Judgment Rule is a legal doctrine requiring courts to defer to the business decisions of corporate directors and officers when those decisions are made:

• in good faith;
• with reasonable care;
• without conflicts of interest or self-dealing; and
• in the honest belief that the decision serves the best interests of the business. (Legal Information Institute)

The principle is straightforward. Judges are experts in applying the law—not in running businesses.

Businesses routinely make difficult decisions involving risk, market conditions, personnel, financing, and strategy. Courts generally refuse to second-guess those decisions simply because they later prove unsuccessful. New York courts recognize that they are “ill equipped” to evaluate many business judgments because there is often no objectively correct answer.

The Rule Protects Decisions, Not Misconduct

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Business Judgment Rule is that it gives directors or majority owners immunity from lawsuits. It does not.

Instead, it creates a presumption that legitimate business decisions should be respected. That protection can disappear if evidence shows the decision-makers acted with:

• fraud;
• bad faith;
• self-interest;
• conflicts of interest;
• gross negligence; or
• conduct that benefits themselves at the expense of the company or its owners.

In other words, New York law protects honest business judgment—not abuse of power.

Why This Matters to Business Owners

Running a business requires making difficult choices every week.

• Perhaps revenue is declining.
• Perhaps an owner wants to retain earnings rather than distribute profits.
• Perhaps a board chooses one strategic direction over another.
• Perhaps management rejects an acquisition proposal.

The Business Judgment Rule allows leadership to make those decisions without fearing that every disappointed shareholder or member can simply ask a court to substitute its own judgment.

That legal protection promotes stability, encourages thoughtful risk-taking, and allows businesses to operate without constant judicial interference.

When the Rule May Not Apply

The most significant business litigation often centers on whether the Business Judgment Rule should apply at all.

Recent New York decisions continue to reinforce an important point:

When plaintiffs plausibly allege self-dealing, conflicts of interest, bad faith, or breaches of fiduciary duty, courts may allow those claims to proceed instead of dismissing them under the Business Judgment Rule.

Examples may include:

• Directors approving transactions that disproportionately benefit themselves.
• Controlling shareholders extracting unique financial advantages.
• Managers diverting corporate opportunities.
• Manipulation of distributions or compensation for personal benefit.
• Conflicts involving closely held or family-owned businesses.

In these situations, courts may look beyond the protection normally afforded by the rule.

Closely Held Businesses Often Present Different Challenges

Many New York businesses are closely held corporations or family-owned LLCs. These companies frequently have overlapping roles:

• Owners are also managers.
• Family members serve as directors.
• Compensation decisions affect ownership interests.
• Distributions impact minority owners.

Because relationships are so intertwined, disputes often involve allegations that majority owners exercised their authority for personal benefit rather than for the benefit of the business itself.

In these cases, determining whether the Business Judgment Rule applies frequently becomes one of the central legal issues.

Mergers, Buyouts, and Minority Shareholders

The Business Judgment Rule also plays an important role in merger litigation.

New York generally applies the rule to certain going-private transactions involving controlling shareholders—but only when robust procedural protections are in place, including independent review, informed approval by minority shareholders, and the absence of coercion. If those safeguards are missing, courts may instead review the transaction under the far more demanding “entire fairness” standard.

For business owners considering mergers, buyouts, recapitalizations, or ownership restructurings, careful planning before the transaction is often far more valuable than defending litigation afterward.

Beyond Corporate Boards

Although most commonly associated with corporations, similar fiduciary principles arise across many of the disputes we handle. Business owners frequently ask whether managers, members, trustees, executors, or fiduciaries have exceeded their authority or breached duties owed to others.

Whether the dispute involves:

• shareholder litigation;
• business divorces;
• partnership disputes;
• trust and estate litigation;
• fiduciary misconduct; or
• executive employment matters,

one recurring question is often the same:

Was this a legitimate exercise of business judgment—or was it an abuse of fiduciary responsibility?

That distinction frequently determines whether litigation can move forward.

Practical Guidance for Business Leaders

The strongest protection under the Business Judgment Rule begins long before litigation.

Business owners, boards, and managers should:

• document the reasoning behind significant decisions;
• disclose potential conflicts of interest;
• seek independent advice when appropriate;
• follow governing corporate documents;
• maintain accurate meeting minutes; and
• ensure decisions are made through fair and transparent processes.

Good governance not only improves decision-making—it also strengthens legal protection if those decisions are later challenged.

Experience Matters When Business Judgment Is Questioned

Business disputes involving fiduciary duties rarely turn on whether a decision produced the best possible outcome.

More often, the dispute centers on how the decision was made, who benefited, whether conflicts existed, and whether the decision-makers fulfilled the obligations New York law imposes on corporate directors, officers, managers, controlling owners, trustees, or other fiduciaries.

At The Glennon Law Firm, P.C., we represent business owners, executives, shareholders, professionals, trustees, beneficiaries, and other fiduciaries in complex litigation involving corporate governance, shareholder disputes, business divorces, fiduciary claims, executive employment matters, and trust and estate litigation.

Whether you are defending a well-reasoned business decision or challenging conduct that falls outside the protection of the Business Judgment Rule, experienced counsel can make a meaningful difference in protecting your business, your ownership interests, and your long-term objectives.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State. 

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts, including:    

• Blog posts:
  • Business Governance Litigation in New York: Control, Fiduciary Duties, and High-Stakes Corporate Disputes
  • Understanding Fiduciary Duties in Business Partnerships: What Every New York Owner Should Know
  • Navigating the Complex World of Fiduciary Duties and Retaliation Protections: Essential Insights for Professionals and Executives
  • Navigating the Top Trends in Business and Commercial Litigation: What Business Owners, Executives, and Professionals Need to Know

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

When business owners think about litigation, they often focus on where a lawsuit will be filed.

New York or Delaware? State court or federal court? Commercial Division or another court?

Those are important questions. But there is another issue that can dramatically affect the outcome of a dispute: Which state’s law governs the internal affairs of the company?

The answer is often determined by a long-standing legal principle known as the Internal Affairs Doctrine.

For business owners, investors, directors, and shareholders, understanding this doctrine can be helpful when disputes arise over ownership, control, fiduciary duties, or corporate governance.
 

What is the Internal Affairs Doctrine?

The Internal Affairs Doctrine is a choice-of-law rule that provides that disputes involving a corporation’s internal governance are generally governed by the law of the state where the corporation was formed—not necessarily the state where it operates or where the lawsuit is filed.

In other words, if your company is incorporated in Delaware but operates primarily in New York, many governance disputes may still be decided under Delaware corporate law.

Likewise, a corporation formed in another state—or even another country—may find that the law of its jurisdiction of incorporation governs important issues even when litigation is pending in a New York court. Recent decisions from New York’s highest court reaffirm this longstanding principle and emphasize that, with limited exceptions, the substantive law of the place of incorporation controls matters involving a corporation’s internal affairs.
 

What Are “Internal Affairs”?

The doctrine generally applies to disputes involving the relationships among the corporation, its directors, officers, and shareholders.

Examples include:

• Alleged breaches of fiduciary duty
• Corporate governance disputes
• Shareholder derivative actions
• Director and officer responsibilities
• Voting rights
• Shareholder rights
• Corporate control disputes
• Board decision-making
• Business-divorce litigation
• Certain merger-and-acquisition disputes

These are fundamentally different from ordinary commercial disputes, such as breach of contract claims between unrelated businesses.
 

Why Business Owners Should Care

Many businesses are formed in states different from where they conduct most of their operations.

For example:

• A Rochester company may be incorporated in Delaware.
• A Buffalo business may operate nationwide through a Delaware holding company.
• A closely held family business may have owners living in multiple states.
• Investors may own interests in companies formed outside New York.

When a dispute develops, business owners often assume New York law will automatically apply because the company does business here. That assumption may be incorrect and can become costly.

The governing law may instead be the law of the company’s state of incorporation, and that state’s rules may differ significantly on issues such as:

• Fiduciary duties
• Shareholder rights
• Derivative actions
• Director liability
• Corporate-governance standards
• Available remedies

Those differences can materially affect litigation strategy, available claims, defenses, and ultimately the outcome of the case.
 

A Recent Reminder from New York’s Highest Court

In 2025, the New York Court of Appeals reaffirmed the strength of the Internal Affairs Doctrine in two closely watched cases involving foreign corporations.

The Court held that New York’s Business Corporation Law does not generally override the Internal Affairs Doctrine. Instead, when disputes concern a corporation’s internal governance, New York courts ordinarily apply the substantive law of the jurisdiction where the corporation was formed.

For businesses operating across state lines, the decision reinforces an important principle: filing suit in New York does not necessarily mean New York corporate law will govern the dispute.
 

The Connection to Governance Litigation

At The Glennon Law Firm, we frequently advise clients in complex governance disputes involving closely held businesses, professional practices, partnerships, and family-owned companies.

These matters often involve allegations such as:

• Majority owner oppression
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Misuse of company assets
• Improper self-dealing
• Deadlock among owners
• Removal of directors or officers
• Disputes over ownership interests
• Business divorces

One of the earliest strategic questions in these cases is determining which state’s law governs the dispute.

That analysis can influence everything that follows—from the viability of claims to available remedies and overall litigation strategy.
 

The Takeaway

The Internal Affairs Doctrine rarely makes headlines, but it can have a profound impact on high-stakes business litigation.

For owners, directors, shareholders, and executives, understanding where a company is formed is often just as important as understanding where it operates.

When substantial business interests, ownership rights, or corporate control are at stake, determining the governing law should be one of the first questions addressed—not one discovered after litigation is underway.

If you are involved in a dispute concerning the ownership, management, or governance of a business, experienced litigation counsel can help evaluate the applicable law, identify strategic advantages, and protect your interests from the outset.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State. 

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts and our Legalities & Realities® Podcast:    

• Blog posts:  
  • Navigating the Complex World of Fiduciary Duties and Retaliation Protections: Essential Insights for Professionals and Executive
  • Arbitration Clauses in Business Agreements: What They Really Mean When a Dispute Arises
  • Confirming and Enforcing Arbitration Awards: Turning Paper Into Power
  • Business Governance Litigation in New York: Control, Fiduciary Duties, and High-Stakes Corporate Disputes
  • Corporate Governance Litigation in New York State: When Business Judgment Becomes Business Risk
  • Business Records Requests in New York: What Business Owners, Shareholders, and LLC Members Need to Know

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

When business relationships begin to deteriorate, one of the first questions clients ask is: “Can I see the company’s financial records?”

Whether you are a minority shareholder who suspects financial misconduct, an LLC member who has been frozen out of management, or a business owner trying to determine whether a partner has been diverting company assets, access to the company’s books and records is often the first and an important step toward understanding what is really happening.

New York law provides significant inspection rights, but they are not unlimited. Likewise, businesses receiving a records demand have legitimate rights to protect confidential information and prevent abusive fishing expeditions, but they have obligations to disclose appropriate information to owners.

Understanding where those lines are drawn can affect the outcome of future litigation.

Why Business Records Matter

In virtually every business dispute, information is power. Business records frequently reveal:

• Company revenues and expenses
• Owner compensation
• Distributions to shareholders or members
• Loans between owners and the company
• Related-party transactions
• Tax returns
• Banking activity
• Corporate-governance decisions
• Minutes of meetings
• Capital contributions
• Ownership percentages

These records often determine whether someone has breached fiduciary duties, diverted assets, oppressed minority owners, or violated an operating agreement or shareholders’ agreement.

For that reason, inspection rights often become the opening battle in larger business litigation.

Shareholders Have Statutory Rights to Inspect Corporate Records

For corporations, New York Business Corporation Law § 624 requires corporations to maintain certain books and records, including accounting records, shareholder records, and corporate minutes. The statute also grants shareholders inspection rights, provided the request is made for a purpose reasonably related to their interests as shareholders. Courts also retain broad authority to compel production of corporate records where appropriate.

Depending upon the circumstances, shareholders may seek access to:

• Financial statements
• Corporate tax returns
• Minutes
• Stock ledgers
• Shareholder lists
• Accounting records
• Corporate books
• Other financial information

These rights exist because ownership carries with it the ability to monitor management.

LLC Members Also Have Inspection Rights

Many closely held New York businesses operate as LLCs rather than corporations.

New York Limited Liability Company Law § 1102 similarly requires LLCs to maintain certain records and gives members the right to inspect company records for any purpose reasonably related to their interests as members. The statute also references access to financial statements and “other information regarding the affairs of the limited liability company as is just and reasonable.”

Required records generally include:

• Operating Agreement
• Articles of Organization
• Member lists
• Tax returns
• Capital contribution information
• Profit and loss allocations

Depending upon the circumstances, courts may require production of more information.

See also: Protecting Your LLC: Addressing Misappropriation of Funds by a Managing Member
 

The Request Should Have a Proper Purpose

One common misconception is that owners can simply demand every document the company possesses. Not necessarily.

New York courts generally require that the request be connected to a legitimate ownership interest.

Examples often include:

• Valuing ownership interests
• Investigating suspected financial misconduct
• Determining whether fiduciary duties have been breached
• Evaluating self-dealing
• Confirming distributions
• Reviewing compensation
• Preparing for derivative litigation
• Understanding the company’s financial condition

On the other hand, courts generally disfavor requests made solely to harass management or obtain confidential information for competitive purposes. Statutory inspection rights are therefore broad but not unlimited.
 

Timing Can be a Strategic Consideration

One of the more overlooked issues is when to make a financial books-and-records demand.

Sometimes obtaining records before filing suit provides valuable evidence that strengthens future claims. Other times, making a demand alerts the opposing owners that litigation is coming.

That warning may:

• allow documents to disappear,
• encourage explanations to be coordinated,
• lead to additional corporate actions,
• or create new defenses.

Conversely, filing suit too early may result in unnecessary litigation over records that could have been obtained through a statutory inspection proceeding.

The timing should therefore be part of an overall litigation strategy—not simply the first step taken because someone is frustrated. Practitioners frequently caution that books-and-records demands should be coordinated with broader litigation objectives rather than treated as routine administrative requests.

Businesses May Have Legitimate Reasons to Limit Disclosure

Inspection rights do not mean unlimited access.

Businesses may have legitimate concerns involving:

• Trade secrets
• Proprietary information
• Confidential customer lists
• Employee compensation
• Sensitive contracts
• Third-party confidentiality obligations

New York’s LLC statute specifically permits certain confidential information to be withheld in appropriate circumstances where authorized by the operating agreement or where disclosure would not be in the company’s best interests. Courts also frequently address confidentiality through protective orders or confidentiality agreements rather than denying inspection outright.

Many Books-and-Records Cases Lead to Larger Litigation

Our experience is that a books-and-records dispute is rarely the end of the story. Instead, it often precedes claims involving:

• Shareholder oppression
• Business divorce
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Self-dealing
• Misappropriation of company assets
• Corporate waste
• Partnership disputes
• LLC member disputes
• Dissolution actions
• Derivative lawsuits

Likewise, businesses defending against inspection demands should carefully balance their statutory obligations with their responsibility to protect confidential company information and avoid unnecessary disclosure.

A Well-Drafted Demand Can Make a Significant Difference

Not every records request is created equal. A carefully prepared demand should:

• Identify the legal basis for inspection.
• Clearly define the records sought.
• Explain the proper purpose for the request.
• Avoid overbroad or unnecessary demands.
• Preserve future litigation options.
• Anticipate likely objections.

Likewise, a business responding to such a demand should avoid reflexively refusing access. An unreasonable denial may itself become part of the dispute and can lead to court proceedings compelling inspection.

Experienced Counsel Can Help Before the Dispute Escalates

Books-and-records disputes often appear straightforward but quickly become intertwined with larger issues of ownership, control, fiduciary obligations, and business valuation.

At The Glennon Law Firm, P.C., we represent business owners, shareholders, LLC members, executives, and closely held companies throughout New York in complex business disputes. Whether you are seeking access to company records, responding to a books-and-records demand, or litigating claims involving fiduciary duties, shareholder rights, or business divorce, strategic legal guidance at the earliest stage can help protect your rights and position your case for a successful resolution.

Understanding what information you are entitled to receive or responsible to share—and how and when—can often shape the course of the litigation long before the first deposition is ever taken.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State.

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts, including:    

• Blog posts:
  • Protecting Your LLC: Addressing Misappropriation of Funds by a Managing Member
  • Navigating Legal Landscapes in Closely Held Businesses
  • Navigating LLC Operating Agreements in New York State: Protecting Your Business and Personal Interests
  • Business Divorce: Navigating Ownership Disputes in Family-Owned Companies
  • Business Governance Litigation in New York: Control, Fiduciary Duties, and High-Stakes Corporate Disputes
  • Corporate Governance Litigation in New York State: When Business Judgment Becomes Business Risk

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

Most business owners spend years building enterprise value, developing customer relationships, recruiting key employees, and creating systems designed to support long-term growth. Yet some of the most significant threats to a company’s future do not come from competitors, economic downturns, or changing markets.

They come from inside the organization.

Disputes among owners, directors, officers, managers, investors, and fiduciaries can quickly evolve from business disagreements into high-stakes litigation involving control of the company, access to information, executive compensation, distributions, strategic direction, and ownership value.

Whether you are a founder, majority owner, minority shareholder, investor, executive, board member, or trusted advisor, understanding corporate-governance litigation can help identify risks before they become expensive and disruptive disputes.

1. What Corporate Governance Litigation Really Means

Corporate governance litigation involves disputes concerning how a business is managed, controlled, and operated.

At its core, governance litigation is rarely about legal technicalities. It is usually about competing views of who should control the company, how decisions should be made, and who should benefit from the company’s success.

These disputes commonly involve:

• Shareholders and investors
• Directors and offices
• LLC members and managers
• Founders and co-founders
• Family-owned businesses
• Closely held companies
• Professional practices and partnerships

The stakes often extend far beyond the immediate dispute. Governance litigation can affect enterprise value, employee morale, lender relationships, succession planning, and the long-term viability of the business itself.

2. Why Closely Held Companies Are Especially Vulnerable

Many governance disputes arise in closely held businesses.

Unlike publicly traded companies, closely held businesses often operate based upon personal relationships, informal understandings, and assumptions developed over years or even decades.

In many cases, the owners work together daily. They may be family members, longtime friends, former business partners, or key employees who received ownership interests as part of their compensation.

When relationships deteriorate, the absence of clear governance procedures can create significant conflict.

Common triggers include:

• Unequal workloads or contributions
• Compensation disputes
• Dividend and distribution disagreements
• Succession-planning conflicts
• Strategic disagreements
• Questions regarding financial transparency
• Family-business disputes
• Competing visions for the future of the company

What begins as a business disagreement can quickly become a dispute over control.

3. Deadlock, Exclusion, and Loss of Control

One of the most common governance problems occurs when owners can no longer effectively work together.

In some cases, owners reach a complete deadlock. Critical decisions cannot be made because voting interests are evenly divided or relationships have deteriorated beyond repair.

In other situations, a minority owner may believe they have been excluded from management, denied access to information, removed from meaningful participation, or marginalized within the business.

From the majority owner’s perspective, the issue may look entirely different. Management may view its actions as necessary to protect the company, preserve operations, or address performance concerns.

These disputes frequently become battles over control rather than purely economic disagreements.

When control is at stake, litigation often follows.

4. Financial Transparency and Books-and-Records Disputes

Many governance disputes begin with a simple question: “What is actually happening inside the company?”

Owners who feel excluded often seek access to financial information, tax returns, accounting records, contracts, compensation information, and other corporate records.

Majority owners and management may view those requests as burdensome, disruptive, or motivated by litigation objectives.

Regardless of perspective, disputes over access to information are often early warning signs of a larger governance conflict.

Once trust erodes, requests for transparency frequently become the first step toward broader claims involving fiduciary duties, self-dealing, oppression, or valuation disputes.

5. Minority Oppression and Reasonable Expectations

New York State law provides protections for minority owners under certain circumstances.

Many minority-owner disputes center on what courts describe as the owner’s “reasonable expectations.”

For example, an owner may have invested capital or devoted years of effort to the company with the expectation of:

• Participating in management
• Receiving financial information
• Sharing in profits and distributions
• Maintaining meaningful employment within the business
• Preserving the value of their ownership interest

When those expectations are allegedly frustrated, disputes may arise concerning oppression, exclusion, unfair treatment, or abuse of control.

At the same time, majority owners often have legitimate business reasons for decisions that minority owners may view as unfair.

The legal analysis is rarely as simple as either side initially believes.

See also: Business Governance Litigation in New York: Control, Fiduciary Duties, and High-Stakes Corporate Disputes

6. Fiduciary Duties, Self-Dealing, and Conflicted Transactions

Some of the most serious governance claims involve allegations that decision-makers placed their own interests ahead of the company’s interests.

These cases may involve allegations concerning:

• Excessive compensation
• Related-party transactions
• Diversion of business opportunities
• Conflicts of interest
• Misuse of corporate assets
• Preferential treatment of insiders
• Improper distributions
• Breaches of loyalty and care, or of other fiduciary duty breaches

Not every unpopular decision constitutes misconduct. Business leaders are generally permitted to make difficult decisions, take calculated risks, and pursue strategies that may not ultimately succeed.

The critical question often becomes whether a decision was made to benefit the company or to benefit the decision-maker personally. That distinction frequently determines the outcome of governance litigation.

See also: Understanding Fiduciary Duties in Business Partnerships: What Every New York Owner Should Know

7. The Business Judgment Rule: Protection, Not Immunity

One of the most important concepts in corporate-governance litigation is New York’s business judgment rule.

The rule generally protects directors, officers, managers, and boards from judicial second-guessing when decisions are made in good faith, with appropriate care, and in the best interests of the organization.

This protection exists because courts recognize that business leaders must make difficult decisions involving risk, uncertainty, and competing priorities.

However, the rule is not absolute.

Allegations involving bad faith, fraud, self-dealing, conflicts of interest, or personal benefit may remove the protection that the business judgment rule would otherwise provide.

As a practical matter, many governance disputes are fought over whether a challenged decision was a legitimate business judgment or a conflicted transaction.

8. Internal Affairs Doctrine: Which State’s Law Applies?

Many modern companies operate in multiple states. A company may be headquartered in New York, employ New York workers, and conduct substantial business in New York while being incorporated elsewhere.

When governance disputes arise, an important threshold question becomes: Which state’s law governs?

The answer may significantly affect fiduciary-duty claims, shareholder rights, board authority, and available remedies.

Business owners and executives are often surprised to learn that the governing law may be determined by the state of incorporation rather than the state where the dispute occurred.

Early analysis of these issues can materially affect litigation strategy and case outcomes.

9. Remedies Can Be More Important Than Liability

In governance litigation, the ultimate objective is often not simply proving wrongdoing. The real objective is finding a workable solution.

Depending upon the circumstances, potential remedies may include:

• Injunctive relief
• Access to records
• Corporate accountings
• Enforcement of governance agreements
• Buyouts
• Removal of fiduciaries
• Derivative claims
• Corporate dissolution
• Damages
• Negotiated separation agreements

Sophisticated parties often focus on the business objective first and the legal claims second. The most successful outcome is frequently the one that preserves value while resolving the underlying conflict.

10. Why Early Strategy Protects Enterprise Value

Corporate-governance disputes rarely improve with time.

The longer a conflict remains unresolved, the greater the risk of operational disruption, declining morale, distracted leadership, increased legal expenses, and reduced enterprise value.

Early strategic intervention can often identify solutions before positions become entrenched and litigation becomes unavoidable.

When litigation is necessary, success frequently depends on understanding both the legal framework and the business realities driving the dispute.

Whether representing a company, a board of directors, a majority owner, a minority investor, an executive, or a fiduciary, effective governance litigation requires more than knowledge of corporate law. It requires a practical understanding of how businesses operate, how value is created, and how internal disputes can threaten both.

At The Glennon Law Firm, P.C., we represent businesses, owners, executives, investors, and fiduciaries in complex-governance disputes throughout New York.

Our focus is not merely on winning legal arguments. It is on protecting business value, preserving strategic options, and helping clients navigate disputes that often place years of work, investment, and reputation at risk.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State. 

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts, including:    

• Blog posts: 
  • Enforcing Judgments in New York: What You Can Do, What You Cannot Do, and How It Actually Works
  • When Disputes Escalate: Why Procedure-Not Personality-Drives Outcomes in New York Litigation
  • Communication Is Strategy, It Is Not About Changing the Other Party.
  • A Guide to Judgment Enforcement for Professionals, Executives, and Small Business Owners

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

Most people assume Surrogate’s Court is simply where wills are filed after someone dies. In reality, Surrogate’s Court is often where some of the most significant financial disputes in New York State are resolved. Family businesses, trusts, inheritances, powers of attorney, fiduciary appointments, and substantial wealth transfers frequently end up before the Surrogate.

For business owners, executives, professionals, trustees, executors, beneficiaries, accountants, and other non-litigation attorneys, understanding the role of Surrogate’s Court is important because many disputes that appear to be family disagreements eventually become litigation involving authority, control, money, and fiduciary responsibility.

Understanding how and why these disputes arise can help individuals protect assets, preserve relationships, and avoid costly mistakes.

See also: What Happens to Your Business in New York State When You Die?

1. Surrogate’s Court is About Much More Than Probate

When most people hear the term “Surrogate’s Court,” they think of probate. Probate is certainly an important part of the court’s function, as it is the process through which a will is admitted to probate and an executor receives legal authority to administer the estate.

However, Surrogate’s Court handles far more than probate proceedings. The court also oversees estate administrations when a person dies without a will, trust disputes, fiduciary accountings, turnover proceedings, guardianships, adoptions, and numerous forms of trust and estate litigation.

Even relatively modest estates may pass through the court. New York’s voluntary administration procedures currently allow certain small estates containing personal property valued at $50,000 or less to utilize simplified procedures. Larger estates, however, often involve significantly more complex issues relating to authority, asset ownership, creditor claims, taxation, and beneficiary rights.

For many families and closely held businesses, probate is only the beginning of the process.

2. Real Litigation Often Begins After Someone is Appointed

Many people assume that once an executor or administrator is appointed, the difficult work is over. In practice, the appointment of a fiduciary is frequently the event that triggers disputes.

Questions often arise regarding whether a will is valid, whether a decedent had sufficient capacity, whether someone exerted undue influence, or whether assets were improperly transferred before death.

Family members who appeared united during a funeral may quickly find themselves disagreeing over inheritances, business interests, real estate, investment accounts, or fiduciary decisions.

What begins as an estate administration can quickly become litigation involving document discovery, witness testimony, financial tracing, and extensive court involvement.

The transition from administration to litigation is one of the most important developments for parties to recognize early.

See also: When Fiduciaries Fail: Understanding Suspension and Removal in Trust and Estate Disputes

3. Executors and Trustees Face Significant Personal Responsibility

Many individuals agree to serve as an executor or trustee believing the role is largely administrative. In reality, fiduciaries assume substantial legal responsibilities.

Executors and trustees owe duties of loyalty, prudence, impartiality, and accountability. They are expected to manage assets responsibly, maintain records, communicate appropriately, and act in beneficiaries’ best interests.

When disputes arise, beneficiaries often challenge:

• Asset-management decisions
• Delays in administration
• Distribution decisions
• Investment strategies
• Recordkeeping practices
• Alleged self-dealing
• Conflicts of interest

In serious situations, fiduciaries may face claims seeking removal, surcharge, repayment of funds, or other remedies.

For business owners, professionals, and executives who are frequently selected as fiduciaries because they are perceived as capable and trustworthy, understanding these responsibilities before accepting an appointment is very important.

4. Powers of Attorney Create Some of the Most Significant Litigation Risks

Some of the most contentious Surrogate’s Court disputes begin long before death.

Powers of attorney often become the focal point of litigation when family members question financial transactions made during a person’s lifetime.

Children may accuse siblings of taking advantage of aging parents. Beneficiaries may challenge gifts, transfers, account changes, or real-estate transactions. Questions frequently arise concerning whether the principal possessed the required capacity when documents were signed and whether the agent acted within the authority granted.

Modern New York power-of-attorney requirements are significantly more detailed than many people realize. Execution formalities, witness requirements, acknowledgments, and statutory compliance all may become important if a transaction is later challenged.

When substantial assets are involved, powers of attorney often become one of the most heavily scrutinized documents in the entire estate.

5. Business Owners Create Unique Surrogate’s Court Problems

For business owners and closely held companies, death rarely affects only family relationships. It often affects ownership, governance, management authority, and business continuity.

Questions frequently arise concerning:

• Ownership interests
• Valuation of business assets
• Buy-sell agreements
• Succession planning
• Voting rights
• Management authority
• Shareholder interests
• Partnership interests

The death of a business owner can expose weaknesses in corporate records, operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and succession plans that may have remained dormant for years.

A dispute that begins as an estate matter may quickly evolve into a business dispute involving valuation experts, accountants, financial records, and competing claims to control.

For many successful business owners, some of the most valuable assets passing through an estate are not brokerage accounts or real estate—they are ownership interests in closely held enterprises.

6. Beneficiaries Have Rights Too

Beneficiaries are not passive observers. New York law provides beneficiaries with important rights designed to promote transparency and accountability.

Depending on the circumstances, beneficiaries may have the ability to:

• Obtain information regarding estate administration
• Review accountings
• Seek court intervention
• Challenge fiduciary conduct
• Pursue turnover proceedings
• Investigate missing assets
• Request fiduciary removal

These rights exist because fiduciaries exercise authority over property that ultimately belongs to others. At the same time, beneficiaries should understand that not every disagreement constitutes misconduct. Courts frequently must distinguish between prudent decision-making and actionable fiduciary wrongdoing.

That distinction is often where sophisticated litigation counsel becomes important.

See also: When Estates Mishandle Trust Assets: What You Need to Know

7. Not Every Surrogate’s Court Matter Becomes Litigation

It is important to remember that many matters proceed through Surrogate’s Court without significant conflict.

Routine probate proceedings are completed every day. Estate administrations often proceed efficiently. Small estates may qualify for simplified procedures. Guardianships and adoptions frequently involve cooperative participants.

The key issue is recognizing when a matter has moved beyond administration and into litigation.

Once allegations of misconduct, undue influence, incapacity, asset diversion, or fiduciary breach arise, the legal and strategic considerations change dramatically.

8. Modern Surrogate’s Court Practice is More Complex Than Many Realize

Today’s Surrogate’s Court practice bears little resemblance to the process many people imagine. Modern matters frequently involve:

• Extensive financial records
• Retirement assets
• Business entities
• Digital records
• Multi-state assets
• Complex-trust structures
• Sophisticated tax considerations

The increasing complexity of wealth transfer planning means that disputes often require collaboration among litigators, accountants, valuation professionals, financial advisors, and fiduciaries.

As estates become more sophisticated, the legal issues frequently become more sophisticated as well.

9. Early Risk Identification Creates More Options

One of the most common mistakes parties make is waiting too long to seek guidance.

Executors may unknowingly create exposure through poor communication or inadequate recordkeeping. Beneficiaries may wait too long to investigate questionable transactions. Business owners may discover too late that succession planning documents contain gaps or inconsistencies.

The earlier potential problems are identified, the more options typically exist to preserve assets, reduce conflict, and position parties favorably if litigation becomes unavoidable.

Conclusion

Surrogate’s Court is not simply the court where wills are admitted to probate. It is the forum where disputes involving inheritances, trusts, fiduciaries, powers of attorney, family businesses, and wealth transfers are frequently resolved.

Whether you are an executor, trustee, beneficiary, business owner, professional advisor, accountant, or referral attorney, understanding the role of Surrogate’s Court can help identify risks before they become costly disputes.

Many matters proceed smoothly. Others evolve into complex litigation involving significant financial, personal, and business interests.

Recognizing the difference—and acting early—can make a substantial difference in protecting both assets and outcomes.

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.  

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts and our Legalities & Realities® podcast:   

• Blog posts:
  • When Estates Mishandle Trust Assets: What You Need to Know
  • When the Court Steps In: Suspending, Modifying, or Revoking Fiduciary Authority in Trust or Estate Matters
  • When Fiduciaries Fail: Understanding Suspension and Removal in Trust and Estate Disputes
  • Uncovering Hidden Estate Assets: Understanding SCPA 2103 Proceedings in New York
  • Understanding Fiduciary Duties in Business Partnerships: What Every New York Owner Should Know
  • Navigating the Complex World of Fiduciary Duties and Retaliation Protections: Essential Insights for Professionals and Executive
  • Communication Is Strategy, It Is Not About Changing the Other Party.

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

The Litigation Is Over. The Risk May Not Be.

Most business owners assume that once a settlement is reached, the dispute is over. Most of the time, they are right.

But some of the most expensive and frustrating disputes we see begin after the parties believe they have successfully resolved the first one.

The scenario is surprisingly common. After months or even years of litigation, the parties reach an agreement. A settlement conference is held. Lawyers negotiate. Everyone is relieved. The case is settled. Maybe there was only a settlement stipulation on the record, or a settlement agreement containing the material points, or a settlement stipulation with the expectation of a subsequent settlement agreement memorializing the terms.

Then implementation begins.

A payment is due. A business interest must be transferred. Trust assets need to be distributed. Employment records must be corrected. Corporate documents must be signed. Releases must be exchanged.

Suddenly, the parties discover they have very different understandings of what they agreed to.

One side insists a particular obligation was part of the deal. The other side says it was not. What everyone thought was the end of the dispute becomes the beginning of a new one.

Why New York Courts Want Settlements to Stick

New York courts strongly favor settlements. That policy serves an important purpose. Litigation is expensive, disruptive, time-consuming, and uncertain. Settlements allow parties to control outcomes that might otherwise be left to a judge or jury.

As a result, courts generally treat settlement agreements, whether written or stipulated to in open court, as binding contracts and are reluctant to allow parties to escape their obligations after the fact.

This principle applies across virtually every area of litigation involving significant assets:

• Business and shareholder disputes
• Executive employment matters
• Trust and estate litigation
• Partnership disputes
• High-asset matrimonial matters
• Fiduciary litigation

For sophisticated clients, this means one thing: once an agreement is reached and properly documented, courts generally expect the parties to honor the bargain they made.

The Real Problem Is Usually Not the Settlement Amount

Most post-settlement disputes are not about whether the parties reached a settlement. They are about what the settlement actually requires. The settlement amount is rarely the problem. The implementation details usually are.

• Who pays a particular expense?
• Who bears a tax obligation?
• When must documents be exchanged?
• What happens if a third party refuses to cooperate?
• What records must be produced?
• What happens if an asset changes in value before performance is complete?

These issues often receive less attention during negotiations than the headline terms. Yet they frequently determine whether the settlement successfully resolves the dispute or merely postpones it.

The most important settlement provision is often the one nobody thinks about until six months later.

Sophisticated Clients Treat Settlements Like Business Transactions

Experienced business owners would never purchase a company based solely on an oral understanding.

They would not form a partnership based on assumptions. They would not enter into a shareholder agreement, operating agreement, trust agreement, or executive-employment contract without carefully documenting the parties’ obligations.

Settlement agreements deserve the same discipline.

The goal is not simply to settle the lawsuit; the goal is to eliminate uncertainty.

The best settlement agreements are often drafted with the same level of care as a significant business transaction. They identify foreseeable areas of conflict and address them before they become future disputes.

The settlement should create clarity, not ambiguity.

Settlement Agreement, Stipulation, Court Order: Why the Difference Matters

Many sophisticated parties assume that once a settlement is reached, the court automatically has the ability to enforce every aspect of the agreement. The reality is more nuanced.

A settlement agreement, a stipulation of settlement, a so-ordered stipulation, a court order, and a judgment are not necessarily the same thing. Those distinctions may affect:

• How the agreement is enforced;
• Whether the court retains jurisdiction;
• Whether contempt remedies may be available; and
• Whether additional litigation becomes necessary.

In some situations, parties believe they have fully protected themselves because they have “a settlement.” Later, they discover that the procedural mechanism chosen affects how quickly and effectively the agreement can be enforced.

For that reason, experienced litigators pay close attention not only to the substantive terms of a settlement, but also to how the settlement is memorialized.

Why Courts Rarely Let Parties Walk Away

A common misconception is that a party can later revisit a settlement because they changed their mind or became dissatisfied with the outcome. That is generally not how New York courts view settlement agreements. Courts place a premium on finality. Once parties voluntarily resolve a dispute, courts are generally reluctant to undo the agreement absent extraordinary circumstances.

While every case is fact-specific, settlements are typically challenged based upon allegations such as fraud, duress, mistake, failure to understand, lacking a meeting of the minds, or other equitable grounds.

Simply deciding that the agreement was a bad deal is usually not enough.

The legal system encourages settlements because they bring disputes to an end. Allowing parties to routinely escape settlements would undermine that objective.

What Happens When the Settlement Is Not Fully Documented?

This is where many post-settlement disputes arise.

Suppose a settlement conference occurs before a judge. The parties place a settlement on the record (a stipulated settlement) and resolve the litigation.

Months later, a dispute arises. One side insists that a particular obligation was discussed during negotiations and was part of the agreement. The other side disagrees.

The problem? The disputed term does not appear in the stipulation. It does not appear in a subsequent settlement agreement. It does not appear in the court record.

At that point, the dispute may no longer involve interpretation of a settlement agreement. Instead, it may involve determining what actually occurred during settlement discussions.

That distinction is significant.

When a term appears in the written settlement or the court record, a judge is generally interpreting a documented agreement.

When the disputed term appears nowhere in the documentation, then the general rule is that the disputed term was not part of the settlement.

If a party argues that it was intended to me, then that party would effectively be asking the court to determine what was said, intended, or understood during negotiations. The dispute shifts from contract interpretation to factual reconstruction. And that is a far more complicated place to be for several reasons.

When a Judge May Have to Step Aside

Most parties assume the judge who helped facilitate settlement discussions can simply resolve any future disagreement. Sometimes that is true. If the dispute concerns language that appears in the written settlement or on the court record, the judge is typically performing a traditional judicial function: interpreting and enforcing an existing agreement.

But a different issue may arise when a disputed term was never documented.

If one party asks the judge to confirm what occurred during off-the-record settlement discussions, the judge may be placed in the uncomfortable position of possessing personal knowledge regarding disputed facts.

In those circumstances, questions may arise regarding whether the judge is acting as an interpreter of the record or is being asked to resolve factual disputes based upon personal recollection of settlement negotiations. Depending on the circumstances, that can create concerns regarding judicial impartiality, witness issues, or recusal.

The larger lesson for clients is not about judicial ethics. It is about documentation.

If a term matters, it should appear in the settlement documents or on the record.

Sophisticated parties should never assume that future disagreements can be resolved by relying upon memories of settlement discussions.

The Most Valuable Thing a Settlement Can Provide

For business owners, executives, professionals, fiduciaries, and families, certainty is often more valuable than the settlement amount itself.

Businesses need predictability. Executives need closure. Trustees and executors need clear direction. Families need finality.

The best settlement agreements are not necessarily the longest. They are the clearest. They anticipate future points of conflict, reduce ambiguity, and create a framework that allows the parties to move forward without returning to court.

Because in high stakes litigation, the objective is not merely to settle the case. The objective is to end the dispute.

At The Glennon Law Firm, P.C., we represent business owners, executives, professionals, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and closely held business interests in complex business, employment, trust and estate, and matrimonial litigation throughout New York State.

Our objective is not simply to resolve disputes. It is to help our clients achieve durable solutions that protect their assets, businesses, reputations, and future.

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.  

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related:   

• Blog posts:
  • Settlements and Set-Offs: What Happens When One Defendant Settles but the Cases Goes to Trial with Another Defendant?

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

Corporate governance litigation is often misunderstood as “boardroom-procedure litigation” or technical disputes over bylaws and corporate formalities. In practice, these cases are usually about something far more significant: control of a business, protection of enterprise value, fiduciary accountability, access to information, ownership rights, executive authority, and the financial consequences of fractured relationships.

In New York, governance disputes frequently arise in closely held businesses, family enterprises, professional practices, investment entities, and founder-led companies where ownership, management, compensation, and personal relationships are deeply intertwined. These disputes can quickly evolve into litigation involving claims of shareholder oppression, fiduciary breaches, self-dealing, improper dilution, deadlock, books-and-records disputes, executive termination issues, derivative claims, or challenges to major transactions.

For corporate counsels, executives, accountants, and outside advisors, these disputes often present a difficult balance between legal risk, operational stability, reputational concerns, and long-term enterprise value.

Governance Litigation is Often About Business Relationships, not Just Legal Documents

Many governance disputes begin long before a lawsuit is filed.

A founder is excluded from decision-making after years of operating control. A minority owner believes profits are being diverted through compensation or related-party transactions. A board approves a transaction that another stakeholder believes unfairly benefits insiders. An executive’s ownership interests become entangled with employment disputes. Family members operating a business together stop trusting one another. A shareholder requests records and is denied access.

What begins as a business disagreement can rapidly become litigation over fiduciary duties, control rights, valuation, disclosure obligations, and the future direction of the company.

In closely held corporations and privately owned businesses, these disputes are particularly disruptive because there often is no realistic “exit market” for ownership interests. Owners cannot simply liquidate their shares and walk away. As a result, governance disputes frequently become leverage battles over management authority, economics, and control.

Minority Shareholder Claims and Oppression Allegations

One of the most common forms of governance litigation in New York involves minority shareholder oppression claims.

These disputes often arise when minority owners believe they are being frozen out of management, denied economic participation, excluded from information, or pressured to sell their ownership interests at a discount. In many privately held businesses, ownership expectations are tied not only to profit participation, but also to employment, management involvement, access to records, and participation in strategic decisions.

The litigation itself may involve allegations such as:

• Exclusion from management or voting authority;
• Denial of access to corporate records;
• Improper compensation structures benefiting insiders;
• Related-party transactions;
• Unequal distributions;
• Dilution of ownership interests;
• Misuse of company assets;
• Self-dealing or conflicts of interest; or
• Efforts to force minority owners out of the business.

In practice, these disputes frequently involve overlapping personal and business dynamics. It is not unusual for governance litigation to intersect with executive-employment disputes, succession-planning conflicts, partnership breakdowns, family-business disputes, or even matrimonial and trust-and-estate litigation involving ownership interests.

Fiduciary Duty Litigation

At the center of many governance disputes are fiduciary-duty claims.

Directors, officers, managers, and controlling owners may owe duties involving loyalty, care, good faith, disclosure, and fair dealing. Litigation often focuses on whether decisions were made in the best interests of the entity or whether insiders improperly prioritized personal interests over the company and its stakeholders.

Claims frequently arise from:

• Executive-compensation disputes;
• Related-party transactions;
• Mergers and acquisitions;
• Buyouts;
• Capital raises;
• Ownership restructuring;
• Governance deadlocks;
• Conflicts between majority and minority owners; and
• Alleged misuse of corporate opportunities.

Importantly, not every failed business decision creates liability. New York courts generally recognize the business judgment rule, which affords substantial deference to board and management decisions made in good faith and in furtherance of legitimate business purposes.

That protection, however, is not absolute. Governance litigation often centers on whether challenged conduct was truly a protected business judgment or whether the facts instead suggest self-interest, bad faith, conflicts of interest, lack of independence, or improper conduct outside ordinary business discretion.

That distinction frequently determines whether a case is resolved early or proceeds into extensive discovery, forensic accounting review, electronic discovery, valuation analysis, and high-stakes motion practice.

Books-and-Records Disputes are Often Early Warning Signs

Experienced corporate counsel and accountants understand that disputes over access to records are often among the earliest indicators of larger governance problems.

Requests for financial statements, tax returns, compensation information, ownership records, distributions, transaction documents, and governance materials frequently arise before litigation escalates. Denial of access to records can increase distrust, complicate negotiations, and create additional litigation exposure.

In many governance disputes, books-and-records litigation becomes strategically significant because financial transparency frequently drives valuation issues, compensation disputes, diversion allegations , and claims involving fiduciary misconduct.

Forensic accountants and valuation professionals are therefore often central participants in governance litigation long before trial.

Governance Litigation and Derivative Claims

Another important category involves derivative litigation, where an owner seeks to assert claims on behalf of the entity itself.

These cases may involve allegations that insiders harmed the company through self-dealing, waste, diversion of corporate opportunities, improper transactions, or breaches of fiduciary duty. The procedural posture of derivative claims can become highly technical, particularly regarding issues involving board independence, demand requirements, and alleged conflicts among decision-makers.

From a practical perspective, derivative claims often create substantial pressure because the litigation may implicate not only financial exposure, but also governance structure, insurance coverage, executive relationships, lender concerns, investor confidence, and ongoing business operations.

The Internal Affairs Doctrine and Multi-State Businesses

For companies operating across multiple jurisdictions, governance litigation also raises important choice-of-law considerations. New York courts generally apply the internal affairs doctrine, meaning that the law of the entity’s state of incorporation often governs internal corporate disputes involving fiduciary duties, shareholder rights, and governance structure. As a result, governance litigation filed in New York may still involve the substantive corporate law of another state.

This distinction can significantly affect litigation strategy, available remedies, pleading standards, and fiduciary duty analysis.

For corporate counsels and executives managing multi-state entities, governance disputes therefore require careful coordination between forum selection, governing law analysis, operational realities, and business objectives.

Governance Litigation is Frequently About Preserving Enterprise Value

Sophisticated governance litigation is rarely just about winning an argument. For executives, boards, owners, accountants, and corporate counsels, the real objective is often protecting enterprise value while navigating risk, relationships, and control issues under significant pressure.

These disputes can affect:

• Company operations;
• Banking relationships;
• Investor confidence;
• Executive retention;
• Regulatory obligations;
• Transaction opportunities;
• Tax planning;
• Succession planning; and
• Long-term ownership stability.

In many situations, the litigation strategy itself must account for ongoing business realities. Aggressive litigation may be necessary in some cases. In others, strategic restraint, targeted motion practice, expedited injunctive relief, negotiated buyouts, governance restructuring, or carefully managed settlement frameworks may better protect the business and its stakeholders.

Why Governance Litigation Requires Trial-Ready Counsel

Corporate-governance disputes often become highly document-intensive, emotionally charged, and strategically complex. They may involve emergency applications, injunction requests, expedited discovery, valuation battles, electronic-discovery disputes, accounting issues, and overlapping legal disciplines including business litigation, employment law, trust-and-estate disputes, and matrimonial matters involving ownership interests.

Many also proceed through New York’s Commercial Division, where judges expect sophisticated briefing, procedural precision, and a deep understanding of both business realities and litigation strategy.

For corporate counsels and larger firms managing these disputes, there is often significant value in experienced litigation counsel who can efficiently handle complex governance disputes, coordinate with transactional counsel and accountants, and step into high-stakes litigation matters without unnecessary disruption to the business.

In governance litigation, legal strategy and business strategy are often inseparable. The most effective litigation approach is frequently the one that not only addresses the immediate dispute, but also protects long-term control, operational continuity, reputation, and enterprise value.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State. 

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts, including:    

• Blog posts:
  • Understanding Fiduciary Duties in Business Partnerships: What Every New York Owner Should Know
  • Navigating the Complex World of Fiduciary Duties and Retaliation Protections: Essential Insights for Professionals and Executive
  • Executive Compensation Disputes: Equity, Fiduciary Duties, and the Faithless Servant Doctrine

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

Many people agree to serve as an Executor or Trustee because they believe it is simply a family responsibility or an honorary role. In reality, those positions can involve substantial legal duties, financial liability, time commitments, and compensation issues—especially in New York estates involving businesses, investment accounts, trusts, real estate holdings, or family disputes.

The situation becomes even more complex when the same person serves in multiple roles at the same time: Executor, Trustee, beneficiary, business manager, or attorney.

For professionals, executives, business owners, and high-net-worth families, understanding how these compensation structures work is important not only for estate planning, but also for preventing future disputes among beneficiaries and fiduciaries.

Executors and Trustees are Often Entitled to Statutory Compensation

Under New York law, Executors and Trustees are generally entitled to commissions for serving in those fiduciary roles.

An Executor administers the probate estate. That may involve:

• locating and safeguarding assets;
• handling business interests;
• coordinating tax filings;
• managing investments or real estate;
• resolving creditor claims;
• paying obligations; and
• distributing assets to beneficiaries.

Trustees perform similar functions, but usually over a longer period and the trust may arise before or after probate estate has already been settled.

Unlike many people assume, these commissions are not informal family payments. New York law contains statutory commission structures governing fiduciary compensation.

For Executors, Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (“SCPA”) § 2307 provides a sliding statutory commission structure based largely upon the value of estate assets received and paid out during administration.

For Trustees, SCPA § 2309 provides a different compensation framework, including annual commissions and commissions on principal distributed from the trust.

In larger estates involving business interests, investment portfolios, multiple real estate holdings, or continuing family trusts, those commissions can become significant.

The “Pour-Over Will” Creates Additional Layers

Many sophisticated estate plans use a revocable living trust combined with what is commonly called a “pour-over will." In simple terms, the trust is intended to hold or receive assets, while the will directs probate assets into the trust after death.

That structure is often used for privacy, continuity of management, or long-term family planning purposes. However, it can also create multiple fiduciary roles operating at the same time.

For example:

• one person may serve as Executor of the probate estate;
• the same person or another individual may serve as Trustee of the revocable trust;
• the probate estate may transfer assets into the trust;
• the trust may then continue for years or decades after probate closes.

This creates an important practical reality: the Executor and Trustee may each be entitled to separate compensation for separate legal responsibilities.

That issue frequently surprises beneficiaries. A beneficiary may believe there is “only one estate,” while legally there may be both:

1. a probate estate with Executor commissions; and
2. an ongoing trust with Trustee commissions.

In larger estates, particularly where trusts hold businesses, rental properties, investment accounts, or multi-generational wealth, those compensation streams may overlap for years.

What Happens When the Same Person Serves as Executor and Trustee?

In many families, the same trusted individual is named to both positions. That is common and often entirely appropriate. The individual may already understand the family finances, business operations, or long-term wishes of the creator of the estate plan.

However, when one person serves in multiple fiduciary roles, questions often arise concerning whether the person is receiving compensation twice – double dipping. The answer depends upon the nature of the work being performed and the governing instruments involved.

The law generally recognizes that serving as Executor and serving as Trustee are legally distinct responsibilities.

An Executor’s role primarily concerns estate administration and probate matters.

A Trustee’s role concerns trust administration, ongoing management, investment oversight, distributions, accounting obligations, and fiduciary duties to beneficiaries over time.

Accordingly, in appropriate circumstances, the same individual may receive Executor commissions and Trustee commissions because the person is performing separate legal functions.

That said, disputes frequently arise when beneficiaries believe:

• the work is duplicative;
• the fiduciary delegated too much work to professionals;
• the compensation is excessive;
• the estate plan was structured primarily to generate fees; or
• fiduciary decisions favored compensation over beneficiary interests.

Those disputes become even more sensitive when substantial assets or family businesses are involved.

The Issues Become More Complicated When the Fiduciary is Also an Attorney

Some of the most heavily litigated compensation disputes arise when the Executor or Trustee is also an attorney.

New York law permits attorneys to serve as fiduciaries. It also permits attorneys, in appropriate circumstances, to receive legal fees in addition to fiduciary commissions.

However, New York law imposes important safeguards. Under SCPA § 2307-a, when an attorney drafts a will and is also named as Executor (or arranges for an affiliated attorney or employee to serve as one), the testator must receive specific written disclosures.

Those disclosures are intended to ensure the individual signing the will understands:

• the Executor may receive statutory commissions;
• the attorney may also receive legal fees;
• another person could be selected instead; and
• the combined compensation could be substantial.

If those statutory notice requirements are not properly followed, the attorney-fiduciary may face limitations on compensation, including a reduction of Executor commissions.

This issue is particularly important in sophisticated estates because legal fees and fiduciary commissions can overlap in ways beneficiaries may not initially understand. For example, an attorney serving as Executor may:

• receive Executor commissions;
• charge legal fees for legal services;
• oversee trust administration;
• coordinate business succession matters;
• supervise litigation involving the estate or trust; and
• manage disputes among beneficiaries or business owners.

In estates involving operating companies, partnerships, commercial real estate, executive compensation, or complex tax planning, the line between fiduciary work and legal work can become highly disputed.

Why These Issues Often Lead to Litigation

Many fiduciary disputes do not begin because someone believes compensation is legally prohibited. They begin because beneficiaries believe:

• they were not informed;
• conflicts existed;
• compensation lacked transparency;
• roles were blurred; or
• fiduciaries prioritized fees over family interests.

In high-net-worth estates, those disputes may involve:

• family businesses;
• investment entities;
• trusts continuing for multiple generations;
• blended families;
• second marriages;
• executive-compensation structures;
• closely held companies; or
• disputes among siblings serving together as co-fiduciaries.

The financial stakes can become substantial.

Even well-intentioned fiduciaries can face claims involving:

• excessive commissions;
• breach of fiduciary duty;
• self-dealing;
• conflicts of interest;
• failure to disclose;
• improper delegation; or
• improper legal fee requests.

Careful Planning and Early Advice Matter

For business owners, professionals, executives, and families with substantial assets, fiduciary compensation should not be treated as a minor administrative issue. The structure of the estate plan itself may determine:

• whether multiple commissions exist;
• whether trusts continue long term;
• whether compensation overlaps;
• whether attorney-fiduciary disclosures are required; and
• whether future beneficiaries are likely to challenge the arrangement.

Likewise, individuals asked to serve as Executors or Trustees should understand the scope of their duties and the potential scrutiny that accompanies those roles. Careful planning, proper disclosures, and transparent administration can often prevent disputes before they begin.

When disputes do arise, early strategic advice may significantly affect the outcome for fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and family businesses alike.

With offices in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City, we can help you across New York State. 

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart.   

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts and our Legalities & Realities® Podcast:    

• Blog posts:  
  • When Business and Family Collide: Legal Problems That Arise in Closely Held Family-Owned Companies
  • When Disputes Escalate: Why Procedure-Not Personality-Drives Outcomes in New York Litigation
  • Spoliation of Evidence: How Good Cases Go Bad–and Who Pays the Price
  • Trust Protectors in New York: Power, Oversight, and Litigation Risk in High-Value Trusts
  • Enforcing Judgments in New York: What You Can Do, What You Cannot Do, and How It Actually Works

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.  

For many successful business owners, executives, and high-net-worth families in New York, trusts are not merely estate planning tools. They are strategic vehicles designed to protect assets, preserve privacy, avoid probate, structure family wealth transfers, and maintain continuity across generations.

But sophisticated planning can create sophisticated disputes. The same trust structures designed to preserve wealth and flexibility may later become the subject of litigation involving:

• fiduciary disputes,
• divorce proceedings,
• creditor claims,
• business-ownership conflicts,
• tax scrutiny,
• or allegations that a trust arrangement was illusory or improperly structured.

In high-asset matters, courts and taxing authorities often focus less on labels and more on economic reality: who truly controlled the assets, who benefited from them, and whether the structure genuinely changed ownership and control.

Understanding these principles is critical for individuals and families with significant assets, closely held businesses, investment holdings, or multigenerational wealth concerns.

Why High-Net-Worth Individuals Use Trusts

Trusts are frequently used in New York for several legitimate and important purposes:

• avoiding probate,
• preserving privacy,
• planning for incapacity,
• protecting beneficiaries,
• managing business succession,
• reducing estate tax exposure,
• and structuring multigenerational wealth transfers.

In many cases, trusts are also used as part of broader asset-protection planning. For example, a business owner may wish to:

• transfer appreciating assets out of his or her taxable estate,
• preserve assets for children,
• protect family wealth from future creditors,
• or create a framework that limits conflict among beneficiaries.

Similarly, a professional like an accountant or physician or executive may seek to structure assets in a way that separates personal wealth from future liability exposure. But these strategies require careful structuring. The more a trust arrangement allows an individual to retain practical enjoyment, indirect access, or ongoing control over assets, the greater the possibility of future scrutiny.

The Difference Between Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

One of the most important distinctions in trust planning is the difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts.

A revocable trust is often used for:

• probate avoidance
• privacy
• incapacity planning

In most cases, however, the person creating the trust retains substantial control over the assets. As a result, revocable trusts generally do not provide meaningful protection from the creator’s own creditors.

Irrevocable trusts operate differently. When properly structured, irrevocable trusts may remove assets from the creator’s taxable estate and may provide greater protection from future claims. But achieving those benefits typically requires the creator to relinquish a meaningful degree of ownership and control.

That is where many sophisticated disputes begin.

Courts Often Focus on Economic Reality, Not Labels

In high-asset litigation, courts frequently look beyond formal paperwork to evaluate how a structure actually operated in practice.

The central question is often not: “What did the documents say?”

Instead, the real question becomes: “Who truly controlled and benefited from the assets?”

This principle appears repeatedly in trust litigation, divorce disputes, creditor litigation, and controversies. For example:

• Did the creator continue using trust assets as personal assets?
• Were distributions coordinated to preserve indirect personal access?
• Did the parties treat the trust as genuinely independent?
• Was ownership truly separated, or merely rearranged on paper?

These issues become especially important in advanced trust planning involving married couples.

Understanding the Reciprocal Trust Doctrine

One of the most important concepts in sophisticated trust planning is the Reciprocal Trust Doctrine. In simple terms, the doctrine exists to prevent individuals from creating arrangements that appear to transfer assets away while effectively allowing both parties to retain the same economic benefits. This issue commonly arises in planning involving spouses.

A Simplified Example

Imagine a married couple in New York with substantial investment assets and interests. The husband creates an irrevocable trust for the benefit of the wife and children. Shortly afterward, the wife creates a nearly identical trust for the benefit of the husband and children.

On paper, each spouse transferred assets away. But in practice, both spouses may still enjoy indirect access to substantially the same family wealth.

If the structures are too similar, taxing authorities or courts may determine that the arrangement was effectively circular—meaning each spouse indirectly created a trust for himself or herself. In that situation, the intended planning benefits may be challenged.

Why Similarity Creates Risk

The Reciprocal Trust Doctrine does not focus solely on whether two trust documents are technically separate. Instead, the analysis often focuses on:

• whether the trusts were interconnected,
• whether they were created as part of a coordinated plan,
• and whether the parties remained in approximately the same economic position afterward.

The more “mirror-image” the trusts appear, the greater the potential risk.

Potential warning signs may include:

• substantially identical trust terms,
• simultaneous creation,
• same trustees,
• same distribution standards,
• same powers of appointment,
• same beneficiary structures,
• coordinated funding,
• or identical administration practices.

Importantly, administration matters.

Even well-drafted trusts may face scrutiny if the parties later operate them as though they are interchangeable family assets.

Why These Issues Matter Beyond Estate Taxes

Although the Reciprocal Trust Doctrine is often discussed in the estate-tax context, the underlying principles reach much further. These same concepts may later arise in:

• divorce litigation,
• business-owner disputes,
• creditor proceedings,
• fiduciary litigation,
• fraudulent transfer claims,
• bankruptcy matters,
• and disputes involving alleged hidden or controlled assets.

For example:

• A divorcing spouse may argue that a trust was effectively controlled by the other spouse despite formal separation.
• A creditor may argue that a trust structure was illusory.
• Beneficiaries may challenge trustee conduct where the trust appears to benefit the creator indirectly.
• Business disputes may involve questions regarding who truly controlled transferred ownership interests.

In many cases, the dispute ultimately centers on substance over form.

Sophisticated Planning Requires Sophisticated Execution

Advanced trust planning is not merely about drafting documents. It also involves:

• timing,
• funding,
• trustee independence,
• administration,
• business-succession considerations,
• family governance,
• and long-term operational consistency.

Small details can become extremely important later in litigation.

For that reason, sophisticated trust structures should be designed and maintained carefully, particularly when substantial assets, closely held businesses, or multigenerational wealth transfers are involved.

Trust Litigation Often Begins Years After the Planning Was Done

One of the realities of high-net-worth litigation is that disputes frequently emerge years after the original planning occurred. A structure that appeared effective during stable family or business conditions may later face scrutiny because of:

• a divorce,
• a business breakup,
• a creditor event,
• a beneficiary dispute,
• a death,
• or changing tax environments.

At that point, courts may closely examine:

• how the trust was created,
• how it was funded,
• how it operated,
• and whether ownership and control were truly separated.

For business owners, executives, professionals, and wealthy families in New York, sophisticated trust planning should therefore be viewed not only as an estate-planning exercise, but also as a potential future litigation issue.

Strategic Trust and Estate Litigation in New York

Complex trust disputes often involve far more than traditional probate issues. They may intersect with:

• business-valuation disputes,
• fiduciary obligations,
• closely held business ownership,
• executive compensation,
• marital property issues,
• creditor rights,
• and family-governance conflicts.

In high-asset matters, strategic litigation often requires understanding both:

• how sophisticated planning structures were intended to operate, and
• how courts may later evaluate their practical economic reality.

At The Glennon Law Firm, P.C., we represent businesses, executives, professionals, fiduciaries, and high-net-worth individuals in complex litigation involving trusts, estates, fiduciary duties, business ownership, and financial-asset disputes throughout New York State.

You may learn more about us and how we operate by visiting these pages: About Us and What Sets Us Apart. 

To learn more about these topics, check out our other related blog posts and our Legalities & Realities® Podcast:  

• Blog posts:
  • When Fiduciaries Fail: Understanding Suspension and Removal in Trust and Estate Disputes
  • The Prudent Investor Rule in New York: Fiduciaries Need to Know, Particularly In Trust & Estate Disputes

This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal counsel, please contact our office directly.