Shareholder disputes: when to litigate, when to negotiate

Most shareholder disputes don't belong in court. They belong in a properly mediated conversation with a clear-eyed view of the company's articles, the shareholders' agreement, and the realistic outside options for each party.

But some do. This article lays out the four signals I use to triage a dispute:

1. Deadlock at the board level.
2. Allegations of unfair prejudice.
3. Asset stripping.
4. Breakdown of trust between founders.

If you see two of these together, you are probably already past the point where mediation alone will resolve it.