Practical and Insightful Advice on Business and Tax Issues
We provide businesses and the individuals who own or manage them with sophisticated, practical advice on the business and legal challenges they face. We work with the business owners to help them plan and structure their business transactions and achieve their goals in a tax efficient manner.
This process begins prior to the company being formed. The choice of entity has serious business and tax consequences, including the business’ ability to raise capital and attract and maintain effective management. Our objective is to arrive at a structure that is both flexible and tax efficient.
During the life of a business, the business will likely encounter numerous opportunities and challenges that have legal implications. If the business needs additional funds, then it may need an infusion of capital or a loan. The business may grow through special contract arrangements or joint ventures with suppliers or customers. The business may also grow through the acquisition of other businesses. New owners may join the business and old owners may leave. We work with our clients to structure and negotiate business transactions of all types. We have the ability to quickly draw on the experience and know‑how of Fredrikson & Byron’s attorneys in other practice areas as needed.
At some point, the owners may want to exit the business. This may involve succession planning with family members or with management. It may also involve a sale of the business. We structure and negotiate transition transactions of all types, including asset sales, equity sales, mergers, redemptions, leveraged buyouts and spin‑offs. For closely‑held businesses, we work with business owners to realize the best possible outcome both from a personal perspective and a tax perspective.
Additional Tax‑Related Issues
Tax issues are usually a significant component of any business transaction. We actively advise clients on all aspects of federal and state income, sales and use, real estate and employment taxes. This includes tax issues of international operations, Minnesota taxation of every type, and the state and foreign tax challenges posed by multistate and multinational business operations. We also dedicate a significant amount of time to counseling cooperative clients on tax issues unique to agribusiness and rural electric cooperative industry groups. We aggressively represent a wide range of clients at all levels of tax controversies, including audits, administrative appeals, conferences and hearings, criminal tax investigations, and tax litigation in state and federal courts.
