In a commercial real estate transaction, just as in life, what is fair is not the same as what is equal. Generally, the remedies in a breach of real estate sale agreement are (1) return or retention of a deposit, (2) suit for damages, and (3) the right to sue for...
PLDO Law Blog
Estate & Trust Law
WORKING CAPITAL IN ASSET DEALS
In an asset sale, the buyer buys a business’ assets in exchange for the purchase price. Then the buyer gets to operate that business, simple, right? In an asset transaction, the transfer of the “business” is often not as simple as signing a document transferring title...
DIRECTED TRUSTS PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE CLOSELY-HELD BUSINESS OWNER
In July 2021, Florida adopted the new Florida Uniform Directed Trust Act (“FUDTA”). Modern directed trusts are one of the best vehicles to provide intergenerational wealth preservation and flexibility. Historically, all the functions of a trustee have been handled by...
HOW TO AVOID AN UNWELCOME SURPRISE IN YOUR BUSINESS & ESTATE PLANNING STRATEGY
In 2015, the Rhode Island Division of Taxation issued Declaratory Ruling 2015-01. The question at issue was whether a non-Rhode Island resident decedent’s interest in a multi-member LLC that owned real property was sufficient to subject the decedent’s estate to the...
EXECUTING A CAREFULLY DRAFTED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT IN AN M&A TRANSACTION
The execution of a confidentiality agreement - or what is also referred to as non-disclosure agreement (NDA) - is typically the first official stage of any merger or acquisition. Prior to this stage, a general discussion may have already occurred, and relevant...
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONDITIONS PRECEDENT IN LICENSING, PERMITTING AND PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
A condition precedent is a condition in a contract that must occur before another party is required to perform. In purchase and sale agreements, there are often several conditions precedent that must be satisfied before a party is required to close. Particularly, in...
REMOTE WORKERS IN RHODE ISLAND: STATE REGS MAY CREATE PERSONAL JURISDICTION IN RHODE ISLAND COURTS
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island recently held that it had personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state employer, despite the fact that the employer only had one remote employee who worked in Rhode Island. That employee—who was also the...
THE BENEFIT OF PASS-THROUGH ENTITIES
Why do pass-through entities such as LLCs taxed as partnerships remain the entity of choice for most closely held businesses? The primary benefit of operating a business through a pass-through entity, such as an LLC taxed as a partnership, is that the income generated...
APPLE’S CONCERNING NEW TEXT MESSAGE FEATURE
Apple recently released iOS16 for the iPhone. This newest release allows iPhone users running iOS16 to edit and unsend text messages sent between other iOS16 users. While this may be welcome news for those of us who make embarrassing typos or otherwise hit the send...