Success Stories

  • Resolved a Complaint for alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations

    Ethan O’Shea of the Business Advisory Group, and Chair of the HRMM&L Employment Practices Group, recently resolved a Complaint filed against a local business by the Department of Labor for alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime regulations. In this matter, a former employee made a complaint with the Department of Labor… Read more »

  • Enforce a Non-Compete Agreement against a former employee

    In 2018, Ethan O’Shea, Chair of the Firm’s Employment Law Practice Group, along with other members of the Business Advisory Group, initiated litigation on behalf of a local business against a multi-national medical device manufacturer to enforce a Non-Compete Agreement against a former employee. Mr. O’Shea and the Business Advisory Group brought suit in the… Read more »

  • Successful Acquisition of Multiple Hotel Franchises

    In 2017, the Business Advisory Group helped its client, a local business, acquire multiple hotel franchises.  The Business Advisory Group handled all legal components of the transactions, including the Purchase of the Real Estate, the Purchase of the Existing Hotel Business, the Franchise Agreement, Due Diligence, Closing Conditions, and the Closing itself.

  • Successful Acquisition of Smaller Competitor Within Same State

    In 2017, the Business Advisory Group helped its client, a local business, acquire a smaller competitor elsewhere in the state.  The Business Advisory Group assisted in the drafting of the Asset Purchase Agreement, Review of Due Diligence, and the Closing.

  • Successful Sale of Local Business to Third Party Purchaser for Over $50 Million

    In 2017, the Business Advisory Group helped its client, a local business, sell to a third party purchaser for over $50 million.  The Business Advisory Group handled all legal components of the transaction, including negotation of the Letter of Intent and the Purchase Agreement, negotation of continued employment arrangements for the sellers and key employees,… Read more »

  • Successful Structure of Succession Plan Involving Buy-Out

    In 2016, the Business Advisory Group helped its clients, two brothers who had owned a local business together for decades, structure a succession plan which involved the buy-out of one of the brothers.  The Business Advisory Group, working together with the clients and the clients’ accountant, helped develop a plan that resulted in one brother… Read more »

  • Successful Sale of Local Business to Third Party for Over $100 Million

    In 2016, the Business Advisory Group helped its client, a local business, sell to a third party purchaser for over $100 million.  The Business Advisory Group handled all legal components of the transaction, including negotiation of the Letter of Intent and the Purchase Agreement, Due Diligence, Disclosure Schedules, Antitrust Approval, and Closing.

  • Successful Termination of Employee of a Large Montgomery County Employer

    Members of the Business Advisory Group and HRMM&L’s Employment Practices Group guided a large Montgomery County employer through the process of terminating an employee who had exhibited irrational and threatening behavior toward co-employees. The matter involved consideration of issues pertaining to possible claims of disability discrimination and/or retaliation.

  • Successful Resolution to a Race Discrimination Complaint

    Ethan O’Shea, Chair of HRMM&L’s Employment Practices Group, helped a home health care agency and temporary employment agency resolve a race discrimination Complaint that an aggrieved former employee filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The settlement reached with the Complainant and PHRC was for an amount far lower than the legal expense the client… Read more »

  • Successful Separation of Employment with a Shareholder for a Financial Services Client

    Recently members of the Business Advisory Group helped a Financial Services client successfully navigate a separation of employment with a shareholder. A smooth separation required the negotiation and drafting of a General Release and Separation Agreement with consideration of the parties’ rights and obligations of an Employment Agreement and Buy-Sell Agreement.

  • Successful Rezoning of a Tract of Land

    Recently the commercial real estate group at HRMM&L was engaged by a local real estate developer to help with the rezoning of a tract of ground to allow an upscale shopping center after the developer had been unable to make headway with the township. Our attorneys went directly to PennDOT and received approval for a… Read more »

  • Successful Defense Against Collective Action Filed

    Ethan O’Shea, Chair of the HRMM&L Employment Group, recently defended a small service company in a collective action filed by a group of former employees in federal court under the Fair Labor Standards Act for alleged unpaid overtime wages. Mr. O’Shea counseled his client with regard to the requirements of the FLSA, and specifically the… Read more »

  • Successful Injunctive Relief Obtained

    Recently, the Commercial Litigation Group at HRMM&L obtained injunctive relief on behalf of a business software and information technology firm. One of the firm’s longtime employees who managed numerous accounts for the firm resigned employment with little notice. The firm soon learned that its former employee had gone to work for a direct competitor providing… Read more »

  • Successfully Helping During Tough Litigation

    Attorneys in the Business Advisory Group regularly counsel business clients on the appropriate course of action to take when they face various litigation issues. Most recently, we advised the president of a corporate engineering firm concerning an anti-compete lawsuit where he, on behalf of the corporation, had been served with a subpoena which demanded the… Read more »

  • Successful Estate Planning (and Lower Inheritance Taxes)

    Our estate planning and business attorneys met and guided the patriarch of a family run commercial building products provider and installer in Philadelphia through the process of gifting the ownership of his business to his sons and business partners as part of his estate and business succession planning. Contemporaneous with the gifting was the execution… Read more »

  • Successful Resolution of Employment Issues

    Business Advisory Group attorneys regularly advise and counsel a regional pharmacy provider with customers throughout the United States on employee hiring, disciplinary and termination matters. Last year, we successfully resolved a lawsuit filed by a former employee in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of PA alleging violations of Title VII of… Read more »

  • A Successful Buyout Made Possible

    Conflict between business owners is an unfortunate reality. Sometimes the conflict rises to a level where the owners consider separating. Determining who gets bought out and a fair price for the buyout is no easy task. The Business Advisory Group’s primary goal in these situations is to resolve the conflict amicably. A buyout should be… Read more »

  • A Successful Succession Plan Carried Out

    Sibling owners of a successful local business decided to engage in succession planning. A goal of the planning was to transfer valuable interests in the company out of their respective estates, without giving up any control within the business. The Business Advisory Group, with the help of other advisors, determined that the business projected to… Read more »

  • Successful Win-Win Transactions

    A longstanding Montgomery County engineering firm client of the Business Advisory Group, well known in its industry and the area, survived the recession and aimed to grow its business. It set its sights on a smaller engineering firm in a different part of the state. Initial talks between the firms were productive, and the Business… Read more »

Questions Every Business Must Ask

Q. Has your business recently reviewed its legal structure to determine whether it is set up in the most advantageous manner for legal and tax purposes, considering recent developments and changes in the law?

Q. Do the owners of your business have a current, updated buy-sell agreement which controls how ownership interests in the business are to be transferred in the event of an owner’s death, disability or termination of employment?

Q. Have the owners of your business developed a succession plan to define how ownership and authority will transition upon the death or retirement of the present owners?

Latest News & Events

Selling Your Business: Resolve Major Issues Early In The Process

The letter of intent often kicks the can down the road with respect to key terms that will be negotiated in the formal purchase agreement. Frequently, the parties do not realize there are major points of disagreement until the first agreement draft is circulated. For this reason, the seller should push the buyer to produce… Read more »

Investments In Qualified Opportunity Zones Can Provide Significant Tax Benefits

by Jonathan Samel, Esquire The Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”), which became effective on January 1, 2018, created Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) as a tool for promoting long-term investments in low-income communities. Through this program, investors are provided significant tax benefits for investing in businesses and in real estate located in QOZs. … Read more »

Non-Compete Covenants in Pennsylvania

by Robert Sebia, Esq. Pursuant to Pennsylvania law, restrictive non-compete covenants are enforceable only if they are: (1) ancillary to an employment relationship between an employee and an employer; (2) supported by adequate consideration; (3) the restrictions are reasonably limited in duration and geographic extent; and (4) the restrictions are designed to protect the legitimate… Read more »