Family Offices

Overview

Finn Dixon & Herling LLP provides a broad range of legal services to family offices, drawing on practitioners from the various practice areas within the firm. For each client relationship, we endeavor to familiarize ourselves with applicable facts, circumstances, objectives, priorities, challenges and sensitivities, with a view to providing customized advice and services that are delivered in an optimal and “value add” manner. When and as appropriate, we coordinate and collaborate with family members as well as family advisors (such as wealth managers, accountants, brokers, custodians, insurance experts, trusts and estates advisors, and public relations advisors).

We provide advice and assistance regarding the following matters:

Establishment / Operation of Family Office

Formation

Structuring and formation
Ownership, control and governance
Service provider arrangements (custodians, broker-dealers, administrators, swap counterparties, etc.)
Office space leases

Employee Matters

Employment agreements
Compensation and benefits; profit sharing plans
Tax efficient structuring of equity compensation
Restrictive covenants
Termination and disputes

Family Office Exclusion

Availability and maintenance
Impact on family office structure, ownership, management and investment activities
Impact on management of employee assets

“Family Client” Arrangements

Investment vehicle structuring and set-up
Hedge funds, private equity funds, venture funds, funds of funds
Managed accounts

Conversions

From family office to investment adviser status
From investment adviser to family office status

Multi-Family Offices
Philanthropy – Charitable Foundations, Trusts
Coordination with Political Consultants, Public Relations Advisors, Accountants, Trusts & Estates Counsel and Other Advisors
Operational and Compliance Policies and Procedures
Tax Planning and Analysis
Commercial litigation

Investment Activities

Investment Transactions

Private equity
Venture capital
Mergers & acquisitions
Debt instruments, convertible transactions and participations
Investments in and allocations to third party asset managers (including seed/founder investments)
Joint ventures
Co-investments