Minneapolis, MN commercial litigation attorney Christopher Daniels talks about a memorable family business dispute you handled? There are a lot of interesting cases, and while there may not be enough time to discuss all of them, one that really stands out is a business dispute—a shareholder dispute between two brothers who owned a trucking company in a far south suburb of the Twin Cities. They had been in business together for about 20 years, having inherited the business from their parents. Although their parents were no longer involved in the business, they still played a supervisory role. The two brothers got along well for two decades, but once they both got married, trouble ensued behind the scenes, leading to litigation. The lawyer representing the older of the two brothers became involved in three lawsuits. There was a fourth lawsuit threatened, in which the brothers intended to bring their parents into the dispute, but they ultimately resolved the matter globally.

One of the most memorable moments during that litigation occurred when the lawyer visited their farm in the southern suburb to evaluate some personal property that the brothers owned together, attempting to separate that property. The two brothers almost came to blows, and the lawyer and the opposing attorney had to step in between them. These were large individuals, and the lawyer had never had to intervene like that in any other case, making this a particularly memorable experience.

When handling business divorces or separations of owners from companies, especially involving family members, the lawyer prefers to resolve disputes in a way that allows family members to sit down at a Thanksgiving dinner table in the future and have a civil conversation with one another. They are, first and foremost, relatives—brothers, mothers, daughters, fathers, and cousins. In the lawyer’s view, these relationships shouldn’t be compromised by business matters, and maintaining a long-term good relationship is essential.

This approach is high on the list of priorities when working with family-owned businesses. Many of the litigation matters the lawyer handles involve friends or business acquaintances, which is a different scenario. However, when it comes to family members, the lawyer is very careful in how they deal with the other side, showing respect and avoiding any actions that might further inflame tensions.