James J. Sticha

Experience

Jim’s clients span a diverse array of industries including distributors, auto and truck dealers, community banks, manufacturers, technology companies, and other entrepreneurial and start-up companies.

General Business

• Jim serves as outside general counsel to a Minnesota-based electronics distributor with sales in excess of $3 billion.
• He represents one of nation’s largest distributors of sign and screen printing products in all aspects of business, including acquisitions, contract review, litigation advice and employment matters.
• He represents a national manufacturer of consumer products on corporate matters, financing transactions, contract review, corporate compliance and regulatory issues, and employment matters.
• He successfully closed multimillion dollar sale of large Minnesota-based construction company in transaction involving complex union and environmental issues.
• Jim assisted family owned business in successfully acquiring a national manufacturing business in multimillion dollar transaction involving complex shareholder issues.
• Jim successfully closed multimillion dollar sale of national distribution business and assisted owners in subsequent estate planning and succession issues.
• He represents numerous family owned restaurants and franchisees on license and franchise matters.

Auto and Truck Dealers

• Jim has successfully closed over 75 separate sales and acquisitions of auto dealerships and truck dealerships in transactions ranging from $1 million to $200 million in geographic areas including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois.
• He regularly advises dealerships on franchise issues and manufacturer-related issues, including dealership factory requirements, manufacturer rights of first refusal, and dealership terminations.
• Jim advises the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association on legislative changes and other legal matters involving Minnesota auto dealers; has structured and closed complex reorganizations of various dealerships in Minnesota to comply with Minnesota dealership franchise laws and satisfy manufacturer requirements.
• He assisted a national truck dealership on sale of multiple dealerships in various states and handled negotiations with various manufacturers.
• Jim structured and drafted complex shareholder agreements and succession-planning agreements for a large family owned auto dealership group.
• He is outside general counsel to a number of Minnesota-based auto and truck dealership groups.

Community Banking

• Jim has represented numerous community banks in the sale and purchase of financial institutions.
• He represented a group of private investors in negotiations and acquisition of various troubled banks and advised a client participating in an FDIC bid process of failed banks, including advising on purchase and assumption agreements.
• He advised the board of directors of a community bank on regulatory compliance matters involving regulatory enforcement action and handled complex negotiations with federal and state regulators involving enforcement action against the Minnesota community bank.
• Jim represented an ESOP-owned bank in connection with the sale of the bank.

He managed and coordinated litigation efforts for a community bank involved in complex litigation where control of the bank was at stake.

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