Business & Corporate Law

Troff, Petzke & Ammeson acts as legal counsel for businesses that do not have a need for full-time "in-house" legal counsel but who do have regular or occasional need for immediate access to knowledgeable attorneys and a desire to establish a long term relationship built on trust and confidentiality.

Our business attorneys have extensive experience in the formation of C-corporations, S-corporations, professional corporations, limited liability companies, professional limited liability companies, joint ventures, non-profit corporations (including 501(c)(3), (4), (5) and (6)) and other forms of business structure.  They also have extensive experience in the dissolution of entities whether caused by voluntary agreement of the owners, a dispute among owners or as part of probate administration due to the death of an owner.

Although we do not practice bankruptcy law, we do work with law firms that do specialize in this area of the law.  Instead we prefer first to determine whether a voluntary liquidation is possible before recommending bankruptcy.  Although the end result is the same, in most circumstances businesses can benefit significantly if they can keep control over the liquidation process which is lost in bankruptcy.

Too often we review corporate governance documents prepared in a "one size fits all" manner.  Unfortunately when we do it is because our involvement is asked for at a time when it is too late to be proactive.  For example, when we are retained for shareholder/ member litigation or entity dissolution.  As part of the formation of any entity, it is critical that the time and effort be put into drafting and adopting documents that will build the "basement floor" necessary to avoid disagreements in the future.  These documents include:  By-laws, operating agreements, buy/sell agreements, voting agreements and wide range of other documents necessary for personal liability protection, amicable relations between ownership and smooth management of the entity.

We have an emphasis in the corporate governance of professional entities including physicians', lawyers' and accountants' practices.

We  provide a wide range of services in mergers and acquisitions of businesses and commercial real estate from assisting in negotiating and reviewing financial information, assisting in due diligence to protect against successor liability, to preparing all of the documentation required to reach the intended goal.  We are especially proud of our ability to provide the prompt attention required of business transactions.

We routinely review and create most all document used in the ordinary course of business and counsel our clients in regard to documents that would be helpful to their business.

In conjunction with the estate planning services we provide our clients, we offer creative and proven methods of transferring ownership of family owned businesses.  This often overlooked estate planning opportunity not only allows for the continuation of the business but preserves wealth as well.

We have extensive experience and knowledge in dealing with most state and federal agencies including the Michigan Department of Treasury, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Grown, Michigan Liquor Control Commission, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality/ Natural Resources and many others.

As business owners themselves, our business attorneys know litigation is seldom the best option to resolve a dispute.  But they also know that sometimes it is the only option.  Our approach is to first attempt to resolve a dispute through communications in an effort to negotiation a win/win solution for all the parties.  However, if necessary, we have both the ability and experience to aggressively and successfully litigate all business and corporate matters.