Industries

The attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley are well positioned to assist businesses dealing with international issues, bringing to bear their significant expertise in international and domestic corporate law as well as the regional customs and practices in Asian markets.

We represent foreign corporations and individuals operating in Asia on a wide range of legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions, litigation, contract issues, cross border transactions, strategic alliances, international joint ventures, labor law, immigration law, and general corporate law.

Our bilingual and bicultural attorneys represent clients in due diligence, title and litigation searches in real estate and other corporate transactions, and provide finance services to public sector entities involved in international finance.

Freeman Freeman & Smiley’s charitable and non-profit organizational planning practice assists in the development of private foundations, supporting organizations and other public and private charities; licensing of organizations to issue gift annuities; strategic endowment planning; and board consultation.

Our donor and prospect advisory services include individual donor consultations and proposals; consultation with donor advisors; tax deduction reports and proposals; and drafting planned gift instruments, including gift annuities, gift and pledge agreements, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and lifetime agreements.

We work closely with development staff and board members to help non-profit organizations implement strategies for successful fund-raising, administering planned gifts and governing the organization.

Areas of Specialty Services:

• Donor and Prospect Advisory Services
• Institutional Advisory Services
• Marketing and Public Relations
• Specialized Services

The fashion business requires experienced guidance and counsel to help navigate the complex laws and regulations that govern this industry. Attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley are uniquely placed at the crossroads of experience in all aspects of the industry, having represented fashion and textile businesses for more than 40 years. In addition to meeting the legal challenges in the design, manufacturing and distribution of their products, fashion companies have expanded their opportunities in the area of intellectual property. We combine our intellectual property and litigation expertise to help clients protect their trademarks, copyright and trade secrets, and assure they do not infringe on the rights of others. We also advise on licensing opportunities and negotiations to promote business growth and open new markets.

Partnering with our labor and employment attorneys, we lead our clients through the California state regulations that are unique to the fashion industry, including labeling and compliance.

Our team also has expertise in:

• Factoring and financing
• Overseas manufacture
• Licensing mergers and acquisitions

Attorneys in the firm serve on the board of directors of the California Fashion Association, the industry's premier trade association, through which they participate in education, help shape and influence legislation, and keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry.

The one certain thing about the financial services industry is that it is a forever-changing landscape. The expansion of financial institutions into new areas – securities, mutual funds, hedge funds, and insurance – requires solid legal advice and expert representation. You can rely on the experienced attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley to meet these needs.

We strive to build long-lasting relationships with our clients by providing advice and counsel during all stages of their lives – from premarital planning and planning for young families, to wealth transfer and business succession planning, to post-death trust and estate administration. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have built with our clients, many of which have lasted through several generations.

Our seasoned attorneys emphasize a holistic approach to planning and problem solving, and work closely with our client's entire team of professional advisors, including accountants, financial advisors, insurance advisors and business consultants, to create personalized solutions for each client's needs.

Our attorneys have handled hundreds of legal matters for broker dealers and registered investment advisors over the years.

We provide clients with highly specialized legal and consulting services to enable them to deal effectively with the complexities of the regulatory landscape.

Our attorneys represent clients in litigation involving customer disputes and inter-industry disputes, regulatory matters, and expungement proceedings. We are nationally recognized for representing members of the securities industry in regulatory proceedings before FINRA, the Securities and Exchange Commission, state regulators, and other agencies.

This is a niche industry and our clients benefit from our extensive experience in dealing with opposing counsel, judges, mediators, arbitrators, and regulators.

Freeman Freeman & Smiley boasts a deep bench of attorneys who work with lenders on commercial real estate transactions and represent them in litigation.

We handle sophisticated transactions on behalf of property owners, purchasers, and local, regional and nationwide institutional lenders. Our emphasis is on financing, acquisitions and dispositions.

Our attorneys have successfully litigated matters ranging from fraudulent and/or negligent misrepresentation, breach of lending agreement, and breach of guarantee to lender liability, revolving notes, and more.

Clients range from private money mid-market lenders to major financial institutions, including major banking and brokerage institutions. Clients also include private equity funds and high-net-worth family offices.

From medical professionals to accounting, engineering, law firms, and consultancies, professional services firms must confront a business environment that comes with any number of of legal challenges. The attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley have the expertise to help professionals avoid pitfalls and confront legal challenges when the need arises. Our services include litigation, the negotiation and drafting of professional contracts, tax planning, and advice and representation in employment law issues, among others.

The attorneys in our real estate practice have achieved national recognition for work in every sector of field. We are skilled in negotiating and documenting sophisticated real estate matters for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies and multi-national banks to developers, start-up businesses, and individual investors. With extensive experience handling due diligence and governmental, environmental and lending 'red tape', we know what it takes to close the deal.

Our transactional attorneys frequently partner with our experienced real estate litigation team to handle alternative dispute resolution and all stages of trials. Our philosophy is to seek to achieve the client's goals and objectives in the advocacy process in a cost-effective manner and explore all avenues of dispute resolution whenever possible.

We advise clients owning, developing, selling, purchasing or leasing contaminated properties (brownfields) with the environmental review process, including advice regarding environmental insurance. We also work with state regulatory agencies regarding the scope of required remediation.

The attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley are uniquely suited to serve the restaurant industry. With many years’ experience in the industry, they are up-to-date on the latest developments in the law and have an excellent track record of resolving all types of legal matters for these types of clients.

We assist clients with real estate purchases, sales and leases; corporate issues; franchise matters; general liability claims, employment issues; tax strategies; insurance; and all aspects of litigation.

Our attorneys offer comprehensive legal guidance to a broad range of businesses in the manufacturing, distribution and retail industries, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. We provide creative and practical solutions to the myriad challenges businesses face in an increasingly competitive business environment.

Our lawyers are committed to learning your business from the inside out to help you avoid issues before they derail your corporate objectives. Should litigation be necessary, our experienced litigators will be at your side to advise you throughout the process and help protect your business.

From startups to established companies, the attorneys at Freeman Freeman & Smiley provide strategic legal guidance to technology companies at all stages of development.

We are experts in advising tech companies on legal issues related to corporate business matters, financing, real estate needs, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, employment issues, tax strategies, insurance, and all aspects of litigation.

We pride ourselves on being a full-service firm that can handle the most sophisticated legal needs, at a fraction of the rates charged by larger firms.