| • Business & Securities • Real Estate • Commercial & Public Finance • Litigation |
• Government Regulation & Legislation • Gaming Law • Estate Planning |
The firm maintains an active Business and Securities Practice and has expertise in a wide range of matters, including: mergers and acquisitions; joint ventures (including the formation of limited liability companies, limited partnerships and S-corporations); licensing of intellectual property (including software); choice of business entities; equity holder arrangements; venture capital and other private debt and equity financing; tax planning; securities offerings in both private and public settings; publicly held company compliance; franchising; non-competition and employee matters. Attorneys within the firm have represented businesses in many sectors, including manufacturing, distribution (including manufacturing products, medical devices and dental devices), retail, gaming, information technology, engineering, consulting, biotechnology, real estate investment and development, internet marketing, investment advisors, mortgage lenders, title insurance, banking, loan disbursement, physician groups, inventors, health care providers and dental care.
The firm's Real Estate Practice includes the representation of commercial and residential real estate developers and financiers, real estate buyers and sellers, and landlords and tenants in a wide variety of private and public real estate transactions, including commercial and residential real property development, real estate purchases and sales, leasing, foreclosure, and private and public real estate financing. Attorneys within the firm have handled complex national and regional real estate transactions and are experienced in public real estate financing alternatives available in Missouri and Illinois such as Tax Increment Financing, Transportation Development Districts, Community Improvement Districts, Chapter 353 Tax Abatement, Recovery Zone Facility Bonds, and Industrial Revenue Bonds. The firm's Real Estate Practice attorneys provide support and expertise on a wide range of commercial transactions and litigation matters involving real estate for firm clients.
The firm's Commercial and Public Finance Practice includes the representation of lenders and borrowers in the negotiation and documentation of complex commercial financings and refinancings. Attorneys within the firm have represented national and regional financial institutions in a variety of secured lending transactions, including commercial and industrial asset-based lending, land acquisition and development financing, construction loans, and hospital and industrial revenue bond financing. Attorneys within the firm have also represented national and regional corporate borrowers in a wide variety of secured term loan and revolving credit facility transactions. The firm has served as local Missouri and Illinois counsel to lenders and issued local counsel legal opinions in connection with a variety of national credit facility transactions. The firm's Commercial and Public Finance Practice attorneys provide finance-related support and expertise on a wide range of commercial transactions and litigation matters for firm clients.
The litigation experience of firm members spans virtually all areas. The firm has successfully tried and defended Title VII, restrictive employment covenants, contracts, insurance, business tort, shareholder derivative actions, personal injury tort litigation, anti-trust, rezoning, condemnation and easement cases.
Government Regulation and Legislation
The firm’s full service government practice includes representation at the federal, state and local levels in the areas of regulation, licensing, litigation and legislation, including expertise in gambling licensing and regulation, environmental law, insurance, taxation and tax credits. Attorneys in the firm have represented both the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives and the offices of the Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Missouri Departments of Insurance and Transportation, and Treasurer on constitutional issues in both trial and appellate courts. Members of the firm have drafted numerous pieces of legislation that are now law, including statutes pertaining to sales taxes, tax increment financing and tax credits.
Members of the firm have dealt with legal gaming issues since gaming came to Missouri in 1993. Our firm’s members have experience in every aspect of gaming law, having been involved with the planning; property acquisition, titling, and conveyance; siting; review of architectural plans for conformance with Missouri gaming tradition; and the application for regulatory approval of numerous gaming projects in Missouri. The firm has, in this capacity, practiced before the Gaming Commission and in courts at each level of the Missouri court system through the Missouri Supreme Court. The practice of two of the Firm’s Members, James Deutsch and Marc Ellinger, in particular have an emphasis on gaming law, including representation of Missouri casinos and their licensed suppliers. Mr. Deutsch is a Founding Member of the International Masters of Gaming Law (www.gaminglawmasters.com), an invitation-only, non-profit association dedicated to education and the advancement of the gaming law profession. Mr. Deutsch and Mr. Ellinger are the sole Missouri general members of that organization.
The firm’s estate planning practice includes representation of families and individuals using the most sophisticated tax planning techniques, including corporate reorganizations, family limited partnerships, charitable trusts and private foundations, and various types of irrevocable trusts. Our estate planners work closely with our real estate and corporate attorneys to structure family businesses in a manner that achieves succession planning and tax reduction objectives.