The clock is ticking. 

If your rights as a minority shareholder are being violated, the time to act is now.

Minnesota Minority Shareholder Rights:

Shareholders in a closely-held corporation or LLC formed under Minnesota law typically owe "fiduciary duties" to one another.  Thus, the majority owner cannot treat the minority owner(s) in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the reasonable expectations of the minority owner. Instead, the shareholders must treat each other in an open, honest, and fair manner.

In order to protect minority shareholders in closely held corporations, the Minnesota legislature has provided the courts with broad equitable powers to protect the interests of minority shareholders. See Minn. Stat. § 302A.751 ("Section 751").  Section 751 provides for the buy-out of a minority shareholder's interest when "the directors or those in control of the corporation have acted in a manner unfairly prejudicial toward one or more shareholders in their capacities as shareholders or directors . . . or as officers or employees of a closely held corporation."

In cases of minority shareholder oppression, a Minnesota shareholder that has been treated in an unfairly prejudicial manner may have the right to sue the corporation and/or the majority shareholders for equitable relief including the forced buy-out of their shares for "fair value."

Minnesota Minority Shareholder Oppression:

Examples of minority shareholder oppression may include:

• being denied access to corporate records
• being denied access to financial records
• having responsibilities unjustly stripped away
• being excluded from important corporate decisions
• being "squeezed out" or "frozen out" of the corporation
• refusal by the majority shareholder to declare profit distributions
• being unjustly terminated from employment without cause
• any other actions involving dishonesty, misrepresentation, or fraud

Help is Available.  Contact Minnesota Shareholder Rights Attorney Craig W. Trepanier.

Minnesota shareholder rights attorney Craig W. Trepanier has experience protecting the rights of minority shareholders.  He can help you enforce your legal rights to review important corporate and financial records; help preserve your voice in the management and operation of the company; help protect your employment security; and recover just compensation if you have been squeezed out of a closely held Minnesota business, including the forced buy-out of your shares.

Mr. Trepanier's law firm offers a two (2) hour case evaluation and initial legal consultation for the flat fee of $500.  During this consultation, an attorney will help review your shareholder rights and agreements and answer your questions.  Click here to review the Terms and Conditions of our Initial Legal Consultation Policy.

Craig W. Trepanier, Esq.
Trepanier MacGillis Battina P.A.
8000 Flour Exchange Building
310 Fourth Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Tel: 612-455-0502
Fax: 612-455-0501
craig@trepanierlaw.com
www.trepanierlaw.com

As a Minnesota shareholder rights attorney, Mr. Trepanier can help interpret your shareholder agreement, buy-sell agreement, or partnership agreement.  He understands the legal landscape that governs the rights of minority shareholders in the State of Minnesota.  He has represented numerous minority shareholders, just like you, facing the same anxiety, stress, and financial worries.

Mr. Trepanier has been named a Minnesota Super Lawyer, a designation granted to only 5 percent of Minnesota attorneys. The independent lawyer ranking service AVVO.com ranks him as "Superb."

Contact Minnesota shareholder rights attorney Craig W. Trepanier today.

© 2009-2013 Trepanier MacGillis Battina P.A.