Business & Securities

Krieg DeVault provides legal services to business entities with respect to all kinds of business transactions. The Business Practice Group at Krieg DeVault coordinates its work with other practice groups of the firm, such as tax, employee benefits, employment law and litigation as may be required to provide full service to a business client.

Our business attorneys regularly advise clients on all issues relating to the formation and operation of their businesses. In the formation of a new business, we evaluate and document the choice of entity from corporate form to partnerships, joint ventures and limited liability companies. At the operational level, our attorneys are experienced in negotiating and documenting all types of contractual arrangements including:

Distributor and dealer agreements
Research and development partnerships
Buy-sell agreements among business owners
Employment and consulting agreements
Director and officer indemnification agreements
Confidentiality agreements
Covenants not to compete
Computer hardware and software agreements
Patent and know-how licensing agreements
Franchise agreements
Employee benefit plans including various types of stock option plans
Pension plans and ESOPs
Other contracts and documents required in the operation of a business enterprise.

Our business attorneys are actively involved in negotiating and structuring sales and acquisitions of businesses. These transactions range from small to medium-sized family owned businesses who are selling to third parties, to leveraged buy-outs, and to large transactions involving publicly held companies. Our attorneys assist in shareholder and director meetings, conduct modified auctions of businesses to obtain maximum shareholder value, and advise businesses in their compliance efforts with various complex laws and regulations involved in the transaction, such as antitrust, environmental and employee benefit laws.

In the area of corporate finance, our business attorneys assist clients in analyzing and structuring debt and equity financing packages; negotiating with investors, lenders and financial advisors; preparing documents for public offerings or private placements of securities and complying with state and federal securities laws; and structuring classes of common and preferred stock and other capital. Our attorneys also represent many emerging companies in connection with private placements, public offerings and other methods of raising venture capital.

Krieg DeVault's corporate and securities lawyers have served as counsel in many public and private financings, including representation of issuers, trustees, underwriters and borrowers. The firm has also represented closely held companies in the initial public offering of their securities. While much of the firm's securities practice has involved Indiana companies, we have represented national and regional underwriters and issuers in public offerings of debt and equity securities. The firm has also been involved in numerous tender offers, proxy contests, special internal investigations, and governmental investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, bank regulatory agencies and self-regulated organizations.

Our business attorneys also assist clients in the preparation of Securities and Exchange Commission reports (e.g., 10-Ks, 10-Qs and 8-Ks), including electronic filing of such reports under EDGAR, annual proxy statements, registration of securities issued in connection with mergers and acquisitions, stock option plans, shareholder rights plans and listing of securities on stock exchanges. Attorneys in the firm's securities practice are also involved in securities-related litigation, including securities fraud litigation, proxy contest litigation, tender offer litigation, shareholder class actions and derivative lawsuits.

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