Corporate and Securities

Crowe & Dunlevy has a well-established and diverse business practice with a long-standing history of representation of public and private companies in all aspects of corporate and securities matters. The Firm enjoys a reputation as one of the leading firms in corporate and securities law in the State of Oklahoma. The Corporate and Securities Practice of the Firm involves a broad business practice ranging from complex and sophisticated transactional work to institutional practice involving day-to-day corporate counseling and assistance to companies and business owners on legal aspects of business. Our client base is diverse, including small entrepreneurial businesses as well as large publicly held corporations and ranges from well-established companies to new start-up ventures. The Firm serves in the role of general outside counsel to many small and medium-sized companies.

Crowe & Dunlevy's reputation in the corporate and securities field derives from the broad based expertise and responsiveness of its attorneys. Our corporate and securities attorneys are business-oriented and focus on a practical approach to business law. The practice frequently involves a team approach, drawing from tax, real estate, antitrust, commercial, environmental, labor and other specialty practice areas within the Firm as necessary or appropriate.

Attorneys in the Corporate and Securities Practice are also service-oriented, and are positioned through staffing, administrative support, technology and significant cross-over of substantive expertise within the Firm to respond effectively and efficiently to the tight time deadlines frequently mandated by business transactions.

Crowe & Dunlevy's business attorneys are active participants in proposing, drafting and reviewing state legislation and regulations impacting all types of business matters, and assist clients in anticipating and reacting to changes in the law affecting their businesses.

Business Planning

The attorneys engaged in the Corporate and Securities Practice assist business clients of all types and sizes in achieving their business objectives in an efficient, practical and expedient manner. The Firm has extensive experience in the formation and operation of all forms of businesses, including limited liability companies, corporations, general and limited partnerships, and joint ventures, matters involving franchising, licensing and technology and changes in control, and negotiating and drafting basic business agreements such as shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, option agreements, employment and consulting contracts. Attorneys counsel businesses, business owners and mangers on a wide range of business topics including the responsibilities and liabilities of officers and directors, corporate governance, employment matters, general contract law and capital structure issues. The Firm assists business clients in tax planning, ownership transfer matters, corporate and partnership reorganizations, corporate restructurings and recapitalizations, going private transactions, exchange offers and dissolutions and liquidations. Attorneys in this field are also active in the development and implementation of business strategies to enhance attainment of client's business objectives and strategies.

Mergers and Acquisitions

The Firm has extensive experience in the acquisitions, disposition and consolidation of businesses, including mergers, consolidations, leveraged buyouts, stock and asset purchases and sales and divestitures. The Corporate and Securities Practice has an active practice in structuring, negotiating, drafting and consummating transaction involving the sale or combination of publicly and privately held companies. This practice frequently encompasses a team approach with the corporate attorneys bringing into the transaction Firm attorneys with expertise in taxation, antitrust, commercial, environmental, real estate and other areas as appropriate. The Firm also provides counseling to businesses on defensive takeover measures and assists business owners and management in evaluating and responding to extraordinary corporate transactions.

Securities Offerings, Corporate Financings and Regulatory Matters

The Firm's well-established securities practice involves representation of issuers and investors in securities matters. The Firm assists clients in structuring and implementing securities offerings to enable businesses to raise capital through initial public or secondary offerings and in private placements of equity and debt securities. The Firm also provides assistance to publicly held clients in stockholder relations, regulatory reporting, compliance and enforcement matters, including Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance. Members of the Section deal regularly with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Oklahoma Department of Securities and the securities regulatory authorities of other states.

Business Financing

The Firm has substantial experience in representation of business entities in connection with financings of all varieties including bank borrowings, private equity and debt financing, leasing transactions and joint ventures.

Small Business and Venture Capital

Small businesses have unique needs, opportunities and challenges. As smaller companies proceed through their life cycles, their legal needs change along with their business needs. Continually changing practices and circumstances, which are an inherent part of any company's business, present new legal requirements to which the business must conform and from which it can obtain advantage. The need for quality legal counsel is greater in a growth situation than in any other. Working in tandem with a law firm with the skills, reputation and resources of Crowe & Dunlevy can reduce much of the risk and has many collateral advantages for the small business.

The attorneys in Crowe & Dunlevy's Small Business and Venture Capital Section understand the particular business requirements of small companies. Attorneys in this Section marshal internal and external resources to assist small start-up and small- to medium-sized established companies to position themselves for the best competitive advantage in their particular marketplace.