Johnson Pope attorneys have played a key part in representing many entrepreneurial businesses in the Tampa Bay community and throughout Florida in their business and securities transactions. We regularly represent closely-held businesses throughout their entire life-cycle, from the initial organization and financing, through mid-life changes in ownership and operation, and to the sale of the business to strategic or financial buyers. In addition, Johnson Pope lawyers are experienced in representing issuers and investors in public and private offerings of securities, including venture capital and private equity investments. Our attorneys frequently advise boards of directors and special committees of public companies and emerging private growth companies with respect to corporate governance issues.
Representing the owners of the Tampa Bay area’s closely-held small and middle market businesses is a core part of our practice. We handle the full scope of on-going operational legal needs, including executive compensation, employee equity incentive arrangements, shareholder agreements, operating agreements, distribution agreements, manufacturing agreements, licensing agreements. Lawyers in the Corporate and Securities Group bring to their representation of closely-held businesses and their owners planning solutions which integrate the personal tax and estate planning of the owners of the business with the business planning. Johnson Pope lawyers also frequently represent the owners of the Tampa Bay area’s closely-held small and middle market businesses in their sale to strategic acquirers and private equity firms.
When business relationships turn adversarial, Johnson Pope lawyers are there to handle shareholder and other disputes without resorting to costly and protracted litigation. When such disputes cannot be resolved outside of litigation, Johnson Pope’s corporate lawyers work with commercial litigators. Lawyers in the Corporate and Securities Group also represent clients in securities matters brought before the SEC, state securities regulators and state and federal court.
Lawyers in our Corporate and Securities Group have experience across many industry segments in the Tampa Bay area, including from media, software and internet companies, the hospitality industry, and healthcare businesses in such segments as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.
Attorneys in the Corporate and Securities Group also have experience in sophisticated transactions, such as
- Tax credit financing and affordable housing (we have been involved over $1 billion of affordable housing bond offerings);
- industrial development bond;
- community land trust initiatives;
- representing broker-dealers and their placement agents in underwriting real estate and business financing transactions, such as representation of the managing dealer for a $950 Million public preferred stock REIT offering.
