Good Pine P.C.

All Insights

Practical legal guidance on litigation, business law, employment, formation, nonprofit law, and estate planning — for businesses and individuals in New York and New Jersey.

Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

U.S. Depositions of Korean Witnesses: Practical Preparation Guide for Businesses

When Korean companies are involved in U.S. litigation, depositions can be unfamiliar, lengthy, and outcome-determinative. This guide explains how the process differs from Korean proceedings, how interpretation and document review affect testimony, and why careful preparation is essential. Good Pine P.C. outlines practical steps businesses can take to protect their interests and reduce risk.

Read More

Shareholder Agreements for Closely Held Corporations: Key Clauses to Prevent Litigation

Closely held corporations are especially vulnerable to internal shareholder disputes arising from unclear ownership rights, management authority, exit strategies, and valuation methods. This article explains the key provisions every shareholder agreement should include—such as governance rules, transfer restrictions, buy-sell mechanisms, deadlock resolution clauses, and dispute resolution terms—to help business owners reduce litigation risk and preserve long-term enterprise value.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Navigating Federal Discovery Obligations: What Small Businesses Often Get Wrong

Small businesses involved in federal litigation frequently misunderstand their discovery obligations, leading to unnecessary disputes, sanctions, and strategic setbacks. This article explains what small businesses often get wrong about federal discovery, including evidence preservation, electronically stored information (ESI), internal coordination, and proportionality. It provides practical guidance on how businesses can comply with federal discovery rules in good faith while protecting their legal and operational interests.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Piercing the Corporate Veil in New York: When Can Owners Be Personally Liable?

This article explains how courts pierce the corporate veil under New York law, requiring proof of both complete domination and control over the entity and the use of that domination to commit a fraud, wrong, or inequitable act causing the plaintiff's injury. It covers the domination factors courts examine — commingling of funds, failure to observe formalities, undercapitalization, and absence of financial separation — the wrongdoing element and its connection requirement, application of the doctrine to LLCs, the discovery consequences of a veil-piercing claim, and the governance and financial practices business owners should maintain to protect their limited liability shield.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

How to Enforce a Judgment in New York and New Jersey

Winning a lawsuit does not guarantee payment. New York and New Jersey provide powerful tools to enforce judgments, including bank restraints, wage garnishment, asset discovery, and property execution. This guide explains how judgment enforcement works in both states and what steps judgment creditors can take to turn a court victory into real recovery.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Understanding a New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) Claim: Strengths, Limits, and Common Misconceptions

The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) offers powerful remedies, including treble damages and potential attorney’s fees, but those remedies are not automatic. This article explains how CFA claims actually work in practice, what must be proven in litigation, and why contingency-fee representation is not always appropriate despite the statute’s strength.

Read More

Minority Shareholder Oppression in NYC: When Majority Owners Cross the Line

Minority shareholder oppression occurs when majority owners in closely held New York businesses abuse control to exclude minority shareholders from the economic benefits of ownership. Common issues include freeze‑outs, withheld distributions, lack of transparency, and self‑dealing. New York courts offer remedies ranging from damages to buy‑outs and dissolution, making early legal guidance critical.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Commercial Litigation in NYC: Strategies for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses

Commercial litigation in NYC affects small and mid‑sized businesses across industries. Common disputes include contract breaches, internal ownership conflicts, and commercial lease issues. Early case assessment, evidence preservation, and strategic decision‑making are essential to managing risk and controlling costs in New York’s demanding litigation environment.

Read More
Litigation, Business Law & Contracts Sung-Min Lee Litigation, Business Law & Contracts Sung-Min Lee

Breach of Fiduciary Duty in NYC: What Business Owners Need to Know

Breach of fiduciary duty claims in New York City commonly arise in closely held businesses, LLCs, partnerships, and nonprofits. Directors, officers, managers, and controlling owners owe duties of care and loyalty, and violations can result in serious legal and financial consequences. Understanding common risk areas—such as self-dealing, conflicts of interest, and misuse of assets—can help business owners avoid disputes and protect their organizations.

Read More

Corporate Governance in New York & New Jersey: How Bylaws and Operating Agreements Interact With State Law

This article explains how internal governance documents—bylaws, operating agreements, and certificates—interact with state laws in New York and New Jersey. It highlights how default and mandatory statutes affect corporations, LLCs, and nonprofits, and why clear, up-to-date governance documents are essential for avoiding disputes and ensuring effective management.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Using Declaratory Judgment Actions to Take Control of a Dispute

When business disputes loom, the party that files first often controls the narrative and venue.
Through a declaratory judgment action, a company can ask a court to resolve a legal question before being sued — clarifying rights, limiting exposure, or pre-empting an opponent’s tactics.
This article explains when declaratory actions make strategic sense and how they can reshape litigation outcomes.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Strategic Use of Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) and Preliminary Injunctions in Business Disputes

When a competitor misuses trade secrets, a partner breaches a non-compete, or a transaction threatens to destroy value, waiting for a full trial can be fatal.
In such cases, U.S. courts allow Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) and Preliminary Injunctions — emergency remedies that preserve the status quo until the dispute is resolved.
This article explains how these tools work, the strategic factors courts consider, and how business owners can use them effectively and ethically.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

Letters Rogatory and Depositions in Korea: Navigating International Evidence Requests

When a U.S. party needs evidence or witness testimony from South Korea, traditional discovery methods like subpoenas don’t apply.
Because South Korea restricts foreign lawyers from taking depositions locally, U.S. litigants must rely on Letters Rogatory and the Hague Evidence Convention.
This article explains how to properly obtain testimony, documents, or statements from Korean witnesses while complying with international law.

Read More
Litigation Sung-Min Lee Litigation Sung-Min Lee

How to Serve a Korean Defendant Under the Hague Convention

When a U.S. plaintiff needs to serve a defendant in South Korea, ordinary mail or private process service will not suffice.
Because both the U.S. and Korea are parties to the Hague Service Convention, service must follow its prescribed procedures through Korea’s designated Central Authority.
This article explains the steps, timelines, translation requirements, and strategic considerations to ensure that service abroad is valid and enforceable.

Read More