Minority members of a family craft brewer shut out of management after a failed buyout, and the valuation fight that followed.
What was at stake
Two founding members were removed from the board after refusing a buyout offer they considered far below value.
How we ran it
We brought oppression claims under the Illinois LLC Act and pushed for an early valuation exchange.
The outcome
The court ordered a buyout at a value set by an independent appraiser, well above the original offer.
The parties agreed payment terms without a further hearing.
The turning point
Emails showed the removal had been planned as leverage in the buyout negotiation.
The lesson
Minority owners have real remedies in Illinois when majority control is used to squeeze them out.
Dealing with something like this?
Bring us a dispute