Practise Areas

Business Law

We understand the bottom line.

We provide practical advice to help you form, manage, and grow your business. Hilger Hammond is more than a law firm; we’re a business too. We relate to owners and entrepreneurs in a unique way because we understand the tough decisions you face every day. We serve as legal advisors and a resource to guide you through each step in the process as your company grows over time.

Hilger Hammond business attorneys provide counsel and assistance in a wide variety of business law matters, including the following:

 

  • Buying or selling a business, membership interest sales, asset sales, and stock sales
  • Restructuring or refinancing a business
  • Providing advice concerning business transitions, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, or dissolutions
  • Employment, non-solicitation, and non-competition agreements
  • Loan agreements, renewals, extensions, and commitment letters
  • Drafting and negotiation of material/supply contracts and construction contracts
  • Business entity formation and governance documents: articles of organization, operating agreements, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and business registration applications
  • Negotiating and documenting partnership issues: adjusting rights under limited liability company operating agreements, shareholder buy/sell agreements, and stock purchase agreements
  • UCC disputes
  • Updating corporate records
  • Providing registered agent services

Over the past several months we have been involved in the following business matters for our clients:

  • Negotiated the purchase of a hunting/fishing lodge in Ontario, Canada
  • Represented owner/founder of successful West Michigan business in stock sale in which all 75 local jobs were retained by buyer
  • Represented Grand Rapids based company in asset purchases of companies to expand service areas in northern and central Michigan
  • Prepared comprehensive loan packages for private money lenders for various industries including cannabis businesses, residential housing construction, and more
  • Negotiated stock sale of company to next generation of ownership
  • Multiple asset purchases/sales of small businesses in and around West Michigan
  • Counseled multiple clients through non-compete situations
  • Drafted non-solicitation, non-competition agreements
  • Drafted and negotiated purchase orders, terms and conditions, and construction contracts

Non-Profit Services

Hilger Hammond provides specialized services to non-profit clients to ensure compliance with the unique laws and regulations which govern nonprofit entities. Our non-profit practice includes representing religious groups, industry trade groups, homeowners’ associations, and property owners’ associations. We are actively involved in helping our non-profit clients navigate the non-profit business world beginning with formation and throughout their life cycle.

 

Non-profit services we provide include:

  • Non-profit entity formation
  • Corporate governance and maintenance
  • Annual Federal and state reporting and filing obligations
  • Updates and advice concerning recent development in the law (for example on electronic meetings and Marketable Record Title Act)
  • Board member training and development of internal policies
  • Assistance with membership votes, ballot voting, proper notices for meetings, etc.
  • Assistance with procedures and requirements to amend bylaws and articles of incorporation.
  • Assistance with preparation and submission of IRS Form 1023 seeking 501(c)(3), or similar, status
  • Legal guidance on a variety of related employment, contract, and member matters
  • Analysis and planning of corporate transactions with tax-exempt organizations
  • Non-profit dissolution and liquidation
  • Registered agent services

A few recent examples of these non-profit services include:

  • Formed a new Michigan nonprofit corporation and assisted in obtaining the 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS
  • Updated bylaws for a large trade organization
  • Presented board of director annual training program for non-profit client

Our Business Law Attorneys

Benjamin H. Hammond

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Aileen M. Leipprandt

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Jill K. Miller

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Mark A. Rysberg

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