A full-service firm, we offer expertise in the following practice areas:

Civil Mediation

Mediation provides disputing parties with a confidential and respectful problem-solving process that allows them to not only make the
best decisions for their circumstances, but to also effectively manage their business risk. When facing litigation, parties often do reach a settlement agreement eventually, but only after considerable resources have been spent. By then, settlement is much more difficult because of the options and opportunities being lost in the struggle. Parties, and their relationships with one another, are best served if they can resolve their disputes through mediation. The benefits of mediation are even more pronounced if it is started early in the case. This is particularly true in the insolvency context, such as commercial receivership, business bankruptcy and distressed asset cases, which inherently involve unique legal and factual issues, multiple stakeholders and constraints on money and time. Levy Craig’s civil mediation practice brings extensive experience in a wide variety of business disputes in these and other areas. Michael Tamburini is an experienced Shareholder at Levy Craig, and is on the approved panels of civil mediators maintained by The Missouri Bar and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. His experience as an advocate for participants in complex business litigation matters, coupled with his mediation expertise, make him uniquely qualified to help guide parties through a creative and productive mediation experience.

Collaborative Law

Collaborative law, developed in the early 1990s, increasingly is becoming a preferred method of resolving family disputes. By using a collaborative law process, a divorcing husband and wife avoid spending time in a courtroom, and can maintain greater control over the outcome and timing of their case.

Each party contractually commits to full disclosure and to negotiating productively toward a fair and equitable agreement, rather than using the adversarial approaches common to the courtroom. Attorneys serve as client advocates to identify and explore mutually acceptable solutions. As needed, mental health professionals may be added to the team to provide coaching, and financial professionals may be called in to offer practical budget and tax planning advice.

As a healthier and more respectful method for resolving family disputes, collaborative law reduces the anxiety of a divorce, humanizes the process and protects the best interests of children because it increases the chances for a cordial relationship as a dissolved couple.

Levy Craig’s family law attorneys are extensively trained in collaborative law and mediation, and are qualified to practice collaborative law in Missouri and Kansas. With more than 30 collective years of experience, they have successfully handled collaborative law cases for clients in both states. Levy Craig attorneys:

     • Provide client counsel throughout the process
     • Prepare for and participate in group meetings with the collaborative law team
     • Work cooperatively with the other spouse’s attorney
     • Help identify customized settlement options that serve the needs of each family member
     • Guide the process to settlement
     • File the legal documents and finalize the case after a settlement is reached

Commercial Receivership

Commercial receivership is a court supervised process in which a federal or state court appoints an independent individual to take control, manage, preserve and possibly dispose of a distressed business and/or its assets. Typically, these assets are collateral for a defaulted bank loan. Receivership is a cost-effective alternative to bankruptcy or real estate foreclosure that looks to preserve, or even increase, the value of the assets in receivership. The receivership process is transparent as the receiver must report to the court on their activities, and major actions must be presented to the court for approval. Receiverships can be a useful tool across various industries and assets, and can prove uniquely beneficial when facing the myriad of fluid situations often presented by creditors seeking to protect their interests. Every state has their own particular receivership law, and Levy Craig has extensive experience in representing court-appointed receivers in both federal and state courts, involving a variety of industries. 

The work of such representations has included:

   •  Preparation of necessary pleadings and court orders for the administration of the receivership estate, including the sale of real
       and personal receivership property
   •  Recovery of assets through informal means, settlements, use of mechanic’s liens and through litigation, both civil and bankruptcy
   •  Defending the receiver against claims made by parties’ claiming priority to receivership assets
   •  Mediating disputes on behalf of the receiver with former customers of the debtor company
   •  Attending court hearings involving the proposed sale of real and personal receivership property
   •  Attending regular status conferences with the receiver and, as needed, with the receivership court

Corporate Law

Levy Craig provides corporate law services to complement your in-house legal team or to serve as your company’s primary counsel. Retain us to:

   • Form or dissolve a business entity, such as a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership
      or business trust
   • Draft anti-takeover provisions in shareholder and partnership agreements
   • Formulate stock option and appreciation plans
   • Draft contracts or agreements pertaining to sales and distribution confidentiality or trade secrets
   • Shape policies and review procedures so you avoid legal problems

Family Law

Prenuptial agreements. Divorce. Child custody. Family financial support. These are the legal issues of the heart and home. Sometimes, they represent the dreams you want to build your life around. And, sometimes they are the realities that threaten the life you’ve built.

When these family matters arise, our attorneys will help you protect life’s tangible assets, such as property and wealth accumulation, as well as its intangible, irreplaceable facets, such as family. Our breadth of family law knowledge spans more than 20 years and 10 specialty areas:

   • Divorce, legal separation and modification of decrees

   • Child custody, parenting time and visitation

   • Child support

   • Spousal support and alimony

   • Grandparents’ rights

   • Paternity

   • Litigated family law matter

   • Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements

   • Property rights and equitable distribution, including issues in large and high-end asset divorces

   • Adult and child orders of protection

 Insurance Coverage

Levy Craig attorneys have extensive experience with businesses, individuals and first and third party insurance cases. Our skills include insurance cover ages, pursuing insurance claims, maximizing insurance awards and assisting clients in ascertaining all insurance applicable to their case. In addition, the firm defends insured on behalf of insurers and defends insurers against bad faith allegations.

Litigation

When your company faces litigation, your business and your business reputation may be at stake. For companies of virtually any size, Levy Craig efficiently gathers, evaluates and manages information relevant to your case. We then develop compelling arguments and present them convincingly, harnessing the power of experts and sophisticated technology to represent you in jurisdictions throughout the nation. As needed to manage major, high-stakes litigation, we can work closely with co-counsel and in-house counsel, drawing upon all available expertise to build a forceful case. As a result of our philosophies and approach, Levy Craig litigators have amassed a notable win record at both trial and on appeal.

Even more important, perhaps, is our commitment to helping you avoid the courtroom in the first place. Levy Craig’s litigation attorneys work with attorneys in the firm’s other departments, helping clients manage risk and plan carefully to prevent litigation and its consequences. We also handle alternative dispute resolution and dispute mediation for our clients.

When a lawsuit arises, you can turn to our team for experience in:

   • Business, construction and real estate disputes
   • Lawsuits involving commercial, construction and fidelity/surety enterprises
   • Contract and contract-related litigation
   • Real estate property foreclosures
   • Breach of warranty claims

Mergers & Acquisition

Levy Craig’s multi-disciplined merger and acquisition practice handles transactions of up to $1 billion for investment bankers and a variety
of clients representing the alternative fuel, technology, medical and media industries. These clients rely on our expert attorneys to guide them in:

   • Stock and asset purchases
   • Mergers and reverse mergers
   • Corporate finance
   • Securities

Skilled at navigating complex issues, our senior M&A attorneys also are adept at handling matters with multiple layers, including institutional investors and venture capitalists, private equity funds, conventional lenders and mezzanine financing.

Rely on Levy Craig for experienced counsel on general securities law and investment matters. We serve as borrower’s counsel in many private financings, capital investments and securities offerings. We also counsel lenders and borrowers in numerous loan transactions.

And, whether you are an entrepreneur, real estate developer or business owner, Levy Craig’s senior M&A attorneys can guide you safely and successfully through a range of transactional matters involving:

   • Commercial lending
   • Capital formation
   • Real estate development
   • Business expansions or start-ups of any size
   • Contract negotiations

Taxation

Tax law is complex and certainly not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, clients can rely on Levy Craig’s tax attorneys, who are highly knowledgeable in the field. We take a long-term approach, bringing our clients strategic thinking that addresses their specific, ongoing tax issues, both small and large. When the needs are immediate, however, we move quickly to assemble critical information and resolve the client’s situation.

To get favorable results for clients, Levy Craig’s tax attorneys maintain a deep understanding of current tax laws and IRS codes and regulations, and are skilled at negotiating with the IRS on clients’ behalf. In some cases, our work for clients is primarily or exclusively
tax-oriented. In other cases, our tax attorneys work in conjunction with lawyers from other departments to develop alternative structures
or new strategies to place clients in a more positive tax position.

You can turn to Levy Craig tax attorneys for:

   • Audit preparation
   • Resolution and appeals
   • Mergers and acquisitions
   • Business disposition
   • Federal, state and local tax law compliance
   • Financing transactions
   • Partnership syndications
   • Federal and state tax litigation
   • Counsel on tax problems
   • Tax planning for privately held state, national and international corporations

Trust and Estates

Levy Craig attorneys recognize that planning a personal trust or creating a succession plan for the long-term health of a business are highly individualized and sensitive tasks. We don’t take lightly our responsibility as your partner in this process.

Regardless of the value of your assets or the complexities of your estate, we make it our job to understand your individual and business goals, and the issues that impact your decision-making. Based on your objectives, we help you structure plans that will ensure a sound,
tax-advantaged financial future for your family or your company. We also help reduce your tax burden during your lifetime and plan for
your long-term needs, including eldercare.

We handle a range of financial planning issues – from individual trusts and estates to those of closely held business entities. We have worked with clients to establish charitable trusts, and to structure charitable foundations. Charitable trusts and foundations often turn to us for counsel on tax and corporate issues, as well.

Our expertise includes:

   • Estate and tax planning
   • Estate plan and probate administration
   • Ownership and succession planning for business owners
   • Wealth preservation and transfer
   • Business exit strategy development
   • Buy-sell agreements
   • Litigation involving probate, trust and other asset disputes