David C. Roberts, Chair of the firm, devotes his practice to handling complex commercial litigation matters such as fraud, fraudulent transfers, trade secrets, and restrictive covenant litigation, with particular emphasis on business partnership and shareholder disputes in New Jersey.
Often called business divorce litigation, the types of business owner disputes Dave routinely handles include shareholder and LLC member oppression, business fraud, embezzlement, owner freeze-outs, dissenter’s rights cases, and suits seeking to dissociate or expel an owner from a company. He puts particular focus on attempting to resolve matters through mediation, if that approach fits the client’s goals and objectives, but is an experienced trial attorney who can effectively try your case if it can’t otherwise be resolved. In 2007, Dave launched the firm’s Shareholder Disputes in New Jersey Law Blog, “Business Divorce in NJ,” which addresses minority shareholder disputes in New Jersey. He also writes and lectures extensively on this topic.
Dave often represents a minority shareholder seeking to assert his or her rights to relief, usually seeking a forced buy-out. Just as often, though, he represents majority owners of businesses defending against such claims. This experience gives him insight into how his adversary in a case may be thinking and strategizing. Dave has handled business divorce litigation involving companies in almost every industry, including and especially family-owned businesses. Having represented so many business owners involved in lawsuits with family members, he understands the unique challenges involved in suing, or being sued by, a relative.
Due to his unique ability to help companies navigate complexity and avoid litigation, Dave has also served as outside general counsel to several small-to-midsized companies. He has served in this capacity for almost two decades for Old Bridge Chemicals and Madison Industries, two of the leading companies in the animal feed additive industry. Dave also has handled complex litigation matters for the Diocese of Metuchen.
Additionally, Dave is a founder and a former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Monmouth Beach Education Foundation and served on the Monmouth Beach Board of Education for 12 years.
My Business Partner May Not Be Stealing, but Are They Breaking the Law?
New Jersey Shareholder Oppression: Mismanagement
Are the Costs and Disruptions of Business Divorce Litigation Worth It?
Business Divorce Litigation Considerations: Strength in Numbers or Should You Go It Alone?
Is It Realistic to Expect a Legal Fee Award in a Shareholder Oppression Lawsuit?
Get Creative To Win Your Business Divorce Litigation
If Your Partner Won’t Give You (Accurate) Information, Subpoena the Accountant
Pushing for the Documents You Need May Be Costly, but Not Pushing May Cost More
What to Do When Your Business Partner Keeps Freezing You Out of COVID Zoom Meetings
Avoid Business Divorce Litigation by Protecting Yourself up Front
Don’t Let Your Business Partner Use the Pandemic as an Excuse to Keep You in the Dark
Majority Shareholder Threats May Backfire
Don’t Let Your Business Partner Use the COVID-19 Pandemic to Hide Misconduct
In an Oppression Case, Think Strategically and Don’t File Motions You Know You Can’t Win
Hidden Competition: A Common Form of Oppression
Mediation Can Be an Especially Effective Tool in Business Divorce Litigation
As a Minority Shareholder, Can I Quit and Still Sue for a Business Divorce?
Potential Alternatives to Shareholder Dispute Litigation in Your Business Divorce
Minority Business Owners Are Not Always Bound by an Operating or Shareholder Agreement
Taking Matters Into Your Own Hands to Prepare for Business Divorce Litigation Can Backfire
When To Involve a Customer or Vendor in Business Divorce Litigation (If Ever)
Don’t Let Ego – Yours or Your Attorney’s – Get in The Way of a Settlement
First Amendment Victory in Dispute over Control of Religious Non-Profit Corporation
Bad Faith Is Not Necessary for a Business Divorce
Competing Companies as Oppression
Minority Shareholders Don’t Always Have a Right to Information
Kicking a Member Out of an LLC – Dissociation Under the New Jersey LLC Statute
Why Should the Majority Owners Have More Valuation Documents Than I Do?
New Case Addresses Termination of Employment as Shareholder Oppression
Is Secretly Recording Your Business Partner Ever a Good Idea in New Jersey?
Prosecutors Are Rarely Interested in Business “Theft” Cases
Can Communication Be the Key to Avoiding Business Divorce Litigation?
A Valuation Expert in Business Divorce Litigation Can Help Early On
What Happens When Equal Shares Does Not Mean Equal Power?
Shareholder Pay – Need it Always be Equal When Ownership is Equal?
Misunderstandings Among Owners Can Lead to Business Divorce Litigation
Overcome Your Nagging Doubts About Business Divorce Litigation
How To Prepare For Retaliation From Filing Business Divorce Litigation
It’s Never Too Late to Gain Allies in Business Divorce Litigation
Minority Shareholder Oppression Damages in New Jersey: More Than Just a Buyout?
Trust But Verify Regarding Financial Information
I Was Doing The Same Thing As The Majority Shareholders – Part II
What If I Was Doing The Same Thing I Now Want to Sue Over?
If You Lose A Minority Shareholder Oppression Lawsuit, Things Will Likely Get Worse – So Do It Right
How An Employee/Shareholder Can Protect Oneself Against Oppression
Termination of Employment as Minority Shareholder Oppression
Many Discovery Tools Exist To Find Emails To Prove Shareholder Oppression
Some Pitfalls of Negotiating Your Own Buyout in a Business Divorce
Being Prepared To File Business Divorce Litigation May Yield a Negotiated Agreement
Court-Appointed “Tiebreakers” In a 50/50 Ownership Setting
New Case Addresses LLC Member Expulsion in New Jersey
What To Do If Filing Shareholder Dispute Litigation Might Potentially Harm The Company
Choosing an Accountant? Choose Wisely and You Could Avoid Shareholder Dispute Litigation!
Steps a Company Can Take to Inoculate Itself Against Shareholder Dispute Litigation
Oppressed Minority Shareholder Litigation – Choosing a Lawyer
Perils Of Negotiating Your Own Buyout
Sometimes Shareholder Dispute Litigation Cannot Be Avoided
Epic Battle for Control Ends in Victory
Second Generation Owners Don’t Always Get Along
What Really Underlies Related-Party Shareholder Dispute Litigation?
Shareholders Who Quit As Employees Might Not Have to Sell Their Shares if They Don’t Want To
Negotiating Your Own Buyout May Be Shortsighted [and Is Often More Costly than Paying an Attorney]
Protection of the Minority Oppression Statute Is Not Waivable
A Sealed Bid Auction May Be the Best Way To Resolve Disputes Between 50/50 Business Owners
The Hidden Issues Behind Generational Transfer
Shareholder Dispute Litigation and Employee Loyalty
Make Sure You Have An Up-To-Date Shareholder Agreement Before It’s Too Late
Will A Court Reinstate A Terminated Shareholder-Employee?
I Gave Away My Right to Co-Sign Checks – Now What?
David C. Roberts To Present “The Good, Bad & Ugly Of A Business Divorce” Seminar On April 16
LLC Members Have Equal Rights as Corporate Shareholders When It Comes To Minority Owner Oppression
Are Dividends A Mask For Financial Fraud?
Can A Shareholder Compete With That Company After Employment Termination?
Shareholder Oppression Remedies Are No Substitute for Control
Creative Ways to Contractually Minimize the Chances of Shareholder Dispute Litigation
We Are Getting a “Business Divorce.” Who Gets “Custody” of the Customers?
Pros & Cons of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Shareholder Dispute Litigation
Unnecessary Capital Call as Means of Dilution Can Be Shareholder Oppression
Get out of That New Jersey LLC before the Law Changes?
The Right to Be Paid Fair Value for Your NJ LLC Interest without Showing Fault Expires Soon
Termination of LLC Member Employee Could Soon Be Considered “Oppression”
New Jersey LLC Minority Members Can Look Forward to More Protection
In Business Divorce Litigation, Who Gets Custody of the Company’s Lawyer?
Discovering Fraud By Your Business Partner: Act Now or Forever Hold Your Peace?
Make Sure Majority Shareholders Never Feel As If They Are Not Being Watched
Ability to Access Financial Info Is Broader in Practice than Law Technically Provides
Court-Appointed “Referee” Could Help a Company Survive Shareholder Dispute Litigation
Your Own Past Bad Acts May Not Necessarily Foreclose Recovery as an Oppressed Minority Shareholder
If You Suspect Your Business Partner is Cheating You, Listen To Your Gut and Seek Legal Advice
How Large Sums of Cash Can Impact Shareholder Dispute Litigation
Should We Create a Corporation or an LLC? From a Majority Owner’s Point of View
Should We Create a Corporation or an LLC? – From a Minority Owner’s Point of View
NJ Shareholder Dispute Litigation – Looking Out for Your Own Interests
Injunctions in Shareholder Dispute Litigation
The Discovery Process In Shareholder Dispute Litigation
I Want to Be a Buyer, Not a Seller, Part 2
I Don’t Want To Sell To My Business Partner. I Want To Buy Him Out
Email Today, Evidence Tomorrow
Independent Assessment of the Successor Generation to Avoid Litigation
Avoiding Second Generation Shareholder Litigation
Creating a Succession Plan While Avoiding Litigation with New Business Partners
You Can Pay a Lawyer a Little Now, or a Lot Later
Can Your Business Relationship With Your Partner Be Put Back Together?
An Oppression Case Can Get You More Than Just Monetary Damages
Surviving Shareholder Litigation with Your Business – And Your Sanity – Intact
Business Partner Disputes Leading to One Partner Being Terminated
Real Life Series – Pre-Nuptial Symposium: A Business Marriage
Your Shareholder Agreement May Not Say What You Think It Says
Accountant as a Minority Shareholder’s Ally
Shareholder Oppression Resulting From Terminating an Employee/Shareholder
Hidden Dangers of Representing Multi-Owner Businesses: Legal Pitfalls Accountants Must Avoid
Minority Shareholders Frozen-Out
“My Lawyer Made Me Do It,” And Other Lies Told by Unscrupulous Business Partners
Majority Shareholder Abuses Could Harm The Minority Shareholders In More Ways Than One
Memorialize Important Facts Prior to Shareholder Dispute Litigation
May a Shareholder Compete After He is Fired as an Employee?
Suing a Family Member Is Never Easy
Excess Compensation as Oppression
The Special Situation of “Passive” Shareholders
Are Your Majority Shareholders Acting As Greedy as AIG Executives?
Trust Your Instincts – They are Probably Right
How Your Business Partner Can Use a Recession to Hide His Fraud
Employment Termination As Oppression
Corporations Dealing With A Tyrannical Minority Shareholder
Avoiding Intergenerational Fights
Analyze Tax Implications Before Filing Suit
Fifty Percent Shareholders Have Rights Too
The Importance of a Well-Crafted Shareholder Agreement
You May Already Know A Good Mediator
How Are Shares Valued by a Court?
See More