AREAS OF PRACTICE
Hopkins Caststeel PLC primarily concentrates its practice in matters involving business, commercial, and financial issues. Although focused upon the commercial and financial aspects of the law, Hopkins Caststeel PLC takes a broad and holistic approach to legal engagements and client service. Given the complexities of today’s business world, a legal matter involving one obvious set of legal issues can raise implications in a number of otherwise seemingly unrelated areas. Hopkins Caststeel PLC assists its clients in dealing with such challenges by utilizing its broad experience in commercial and financial law.
Hopkins Caststeel PLC has experience, and can assist clients, in the following areas of practice:
BANKING LAW
The operation and ownership of a bank or other federal insured financial institution in today’s highly regulated and highly competitive environment are extremely challenging undertakings. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has extensive experience in the representation of banks and other financial institutions, directors, officers, and shareholders in this area, including representation involving issues with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of the Treasury, and the Arkansas State Bank Department along with representations involving such predecessor entities as the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation and the Resolution Trust Corporation. Hopkins Caststeel PLC also have substantial experience is mergers and acquisitions involving banks or other financial institutions. Hopkins Caststeel PLC can provide a wide variety of services ranging for advice and representation on regulatory matters, advice and guidance for corporate governance, strategic planning and negotiation services in merger and acquisition transactions, development of bank policies and procedures, and representation in matters of litigation involving related types of issues.
BUSINESS LAW
Businesses face a myriad of challenges in today’s complex business environment. These matters involve such diverse activities as understanding and properly utilizing the formal contracts necessary to the protection of the interests of the business, the navigating of complex legal and regulatory environments, and the planning necessary for the achievement of short-term and long-term goals. Hopkins Headlee Caststeel PLLC has extensive experience in the representation of businesses, both large and small, in these various legal matters. We offer a wide variety of services ranging from advice and representation on general business matters, contract interpretation and negotiation, employment matters, tax matters, regulatory advice and representation, strategy planning and guidance, and commercial litigation services.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Whether a client is buying a business, selling a business, merging with a strategic partner, raising new capital, or entering into any other similar relationship, Hopkins Caststeel PLC has the experience to assist the client to complete a timely, relatively hassle-free, and cost-effective transaction. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has handled numerous merger and acquisitions involving a wide variety of transactions ranging in size from small business sales involving less than $500,000 to complex corporate acquisitions ranging into the tens of millions of dollars and involving a number of different industries including automotive, manufacturing, sales, professional services, banks and bank holding companies, hospitals and health care providers, and other businesses. A listing of representative transactions is available upon request.
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
If a business dispute results in litigation, special skills are required from a trial lawyer. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has successfully handled hundreds of commercial litigation matters in state and federal trial and appellate courts. These matters have included a wide range of litigation activities including non-jury trials, dispositive and non-dispositive motion hearings, bankruptcy litigation, multi-district federal litigation, class action defense, complex appellate proceedings, and multi-day and multi-week jury trials. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has extensive experience in the handling of complex discovery matters. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has the expertise to assist clients in the analysis of settlement options, the negotiations for settlement, and the handling of formal mediation. Most importantly, if a litigation matter cannot be resolved prior to trial by settlement, Hopkins Caststeel PLC has the skills to try all litigation matters from the filing of the complaint through a trial verdict and on appeal, if necessary.
COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, AND BUSINESS ENTITY LAW
Whether a client is considering formation of a corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, or other entity, or needs assistance with ongoing activities in connection with an existing entity, Hopkins Caststeel PLC provides advice, representation, and guidance on these matters. Available services include formation activities, advice on ongoing operations, design and preparation of buy-sell agreements between shareholders and other owners, and dissolution and “exit strategy” planning. Litigation activities include disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, business fraud, misappropriation of business opportunities or other types of self-dealing activities, breach of contract, and similar legal issues.
HEALTHCARE LAW
The practice of medicine, the operation of a hospital or physician’s clinic, and the other activities involved in the provision of healthcare presents unique and difficult challenges at point in time, particularly in light of certain legal changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and other recent legislative and regulatory changes. Hopkins Caststeel PLC represents a number of healthcare providers and has extensive experience in the healthcare industry. Hopkins Caststeel PLC offers assistance in most aspects of healthcare, including organizational formation, physician and supplier contracting, HIPAA and other compliance matters, internal investigations, governmental and regulatory guidance and representation, and general legal representation on a wide range of healthcare matters.
BUSINESS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING
As a full-service law firm, Hopkins Caststeel PLC specializes in assisting its clients with short-term and long-term business and strategic planning. Working closely with the client and other professionals such as the client’s accountants, insurance professionals, investment advisers, and real estate professionals, Hopkins Caststeel PLC can assist a client in business planning activities such as capital structure analysis, loan refinancings, recapitalizations, corporate formations and restructures, negotiation of buy-sell agreements, and the development of succession and/or exit strategy upon the business owner’s divorce, death, or retirement.
TRADE SECRETS AND UNFAIR COMPETITION
Trade secrets include such items as customer lists, pricing strategies, marketing plans, supply sourcing information, product information, design strategies, and other confidential and proprietary information. In today’s world, trade secrets may be one of the most valuable classes of assets owned by a business. It has become increasingly more common for departing employees or competitors to attempt to unlawfully obtain the benefits of a company’s proprietary information and trade secrets, and such matters are addressed by the law of unfair competition. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has experience in providing advice and counsel to clients in these areas as well as litigation experience in the areas of trade secrets, franchises, unfair competition, trademark/trade name disputes, and misappropriation of business opportunities.
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ISSUES
The Limited Liability Company, or “LLC,” is a relatively new type of business organization that has rapidly become the entity of choice for many businesses, especially small businesses and entities formed for the purpose of real estate development or for the ownership and operation of many small, closely-held businesses. Typically described as a hybrid between a corporation and a partnership, the LLC provides an outstanding planning opportunity for many clients. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has extensive experience with LLCs, including multi-tiered LLCs, family LLCs, real estate LLCs, foreign LLCs, and professional LLCs (also known as a “PLC” or a “PLLC”).
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ISSUES
The legal issues faced by businesses involved in the automotive manufacture, sales, repair, and service industries involve unique and specialized challenges. Hopkins Caststeel PLC is one of Arkansas’ leading law firms with experience in automotive industry issues. Representative clients have included new car dealers, OEM and replacement parts manufacturers and distributors, used car dealers, rental car agencies, automotive finance companies, automotive licensees and franchisees, and similar business operations.
REAL ESTATE
No other area of the law is more expansive or challenging than real estate. Real estate clients face such diverse issues as title problems, environmental concerns, survey matters, ownership conflicts, and the like. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has experience in representing parties involved with commercial, industrial, single-family residential, multi-family residential, condominium, and development properties. We also have expertise in title insurance matters, including coverage issues and litigation.
CONSTRUCTION LAW AND LITIGATION
The issues involved in the preparation, interpretation, and enforcement of construction contracts require unique knowledge of legal principles of construction and contract law with the ability to grasp and incorporate concepts from related fields such as architecture, engineering, environmental, and finance. Hopkins Caststeel PLC has assisted clients in virtually all aspects of construction law, including contract preparation and interpretation, contract disputes, bonding issues and disputes, construction litigation, mechanics’ and materialmen’s issues, mediation, and arbitration.
COMMERCIAL COLLECTION SERVICES
Although not a collection law firm, Hopkins Caststeel PLC provides collection litigation services for its regular commercial clients as part of the full-service commitment to these business clients.
REFERRAL SERVICES
As a business and financial law firm, Hopkins Caststeel PLC generally does not accept cases involving criminal matters, divorce or other domestic issues, personal injury, or civil rights. However, Hopkins Caststeel PLC does provide referral service for its existing clients to competent counsel who can handle matters in these areas. WE DO NOT PROVIDE REFERRAL ASSISTANCE TO NON-CLIENTS.
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
Hopkins Caststeel PLC represents a wide variety of clients, including Arkansas based businesses, individuals, and out-of-state businesses, including several Fortune 500 clients. A listing of our clients will be furnished upon request to those persons or entities having a demonstrated need for such information.
