Corporate Law

Donovan Hatem LLP’s Corporate Law Group serves clients at all stages of the business lifecycle.

The Donovan Hatem Corporate Law Group principally focuses on representing start-up, emerging growth and middle market companies in several industry sectors including the architectural, design and engineering services, biotechnology, computer software and services, and defense industries. Our expertise includes the structuring, negotiation and documentation of transactions at each stage of a company’s growth cycle.

In our representation of start-up companies, the Corporate Law Group frequently advises the founders of start-ups with respect to: (i) entity selection; (ii) corporate governance matters, such as agreements among stockholders of a corporation and agreements among members of a limited liability company; (iii) corporate finance matters, such as venture capital and other private equity financing; (iv) forms of standard commercial agreements for use in the company’s business; (v) employment matters, such as employment agreements and employee policies and procedures manuals; (vi) commercial finance matters, such as secured bank credit facilities and (vii) regulatory compliance. Often our relationship expands to include the role of business advisor to the start-up company. Also, during this start-up stage, the Corporate Law Group will often introduce the company’s founders to our Trusts and Estates Group for maximization of their estate planning with respect to their ownership interest in their start-up company.

With respect to our representation of emerging growth companies, the Corporate Law Group advises companies regarding corporate governance, corporate finance, employment and commercial finance matters. Additionally, at this stage of a company’s growth cycle, our Corporate Law Group is often asked to provide counsel regarding: (i) technology matters, such as technology development, protection and licensing; (ii) commercial expansion matters, such as joint ventures, strategic alliances and distributorships; (iii) additional investments of venture capital and private equity and (iv) executive and other employee compensation plans, including equity participation plans. As the company expands, our Corporate Law Group will often work with Donovan Hatem’s Commercial Real Estate Group to advise a company regarding the lease, purchase or construction of office space and related financing.

As the emerging growth company matures into a middle market company, the Corporate Law Group provides counsel regarding: (i) mergers and acquisitions, including stock and asset transactions as a purchaser and as a seller; (ii) recapitalization transactions; (iii) partial business divestitures and (iv) management succession planning.

The Corporate Law Group brings its experience and expertise to our representation of start-up, emerging growth and middle market companies. The goal of our Corporate Law Group is to assist our clients in accomplishing their business objectives, to inform our clients of the potential risks in corporate transactions and to identify the optimal approach to minimize or remove such risks. We value our relationships with our clients as a legal and business advisor.