Barton LLP

Managing Partner – Roger E. Barton

Number of Partners – 25

Number of Non-Partner Lawyers – 17

Firm Overview:

Barton LLP, a mid-sized law firm based in New York with offices in Nashville and Los Angeles, provides services to domestic and international businesses, investment funds, financial service firms, and owners of privately held businesses. The firm and its attorneys are routinely rated as among the leaders in the profession and are often quoted in legal management and practice-specific articles and publications.

Main Areas of Practice:

Banking and Finance 

Barton attorneys advise clients on sophisticated lending transactions and complex financial instruments in both the domestic and cross-border market.

• Asset-Based Lending
• Banking
• Derivatives
• Fintech
• Infrastructure Finance and Development
• Leveraged Financing
• Project Finance
• Public Finance
• Structured Finance

Business Transactions 

Barton represents public and private companies, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds, commercial banks, and other financial institutions, as well as closely held middle market and early-stage growth companies. A significant portion of clients come from outside the U.S. and engage Barton to represent their expansion into the U.S. market. Barton has assisted these clients in both starting new U.S.-based businesses and acquiring existing U.S. companies.

• Mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures
• Private equity transactions
• Venture capital financings
• Financing and capital raises in the public and private markets
• Securities filings and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) compliance, including the JOBS Act
• Technology licensing
• Secured and unsecured debt financings
• Business restructurings and reorganizations
• Reverse merger and alternative public offering transactions
• Joint ventures
• International transactions
• Sales and distribution agreements

Commercial Litigation 

Barton litigators have achieved successful results in complex business disputes before federal courts, state courts, and administrative agencies across the country. The majority of our litigators come from Big Law backgrounds, having litigated for some of the top firms in the country as well. Barton has secured favorable outcomes in numerous high-stakes disputes, including those concerning:

• Financial Services Litigation
• Securities Litigation
• Breach of Contract
• Fraud
• Business and Partnership Disputes
• Trade Secret Litigation
• Intellectual Property Enforcement
• Employment Litigation
• Executive Compensation Disputes
• Construction Litigation

Additionally, we offer our clients in-house training programs, and we review business practices, contracts, and relationships to proactively reduce the likelihood of disputes arising.

Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, GDPR Compliance 

Barton utilizes its attorneys’ extensive experience with the flows of information in business and professional settings to assist clients in understanding and complying with the various laws and standards that regulate the collection, use, sharing, and protection of personal data. Barton works directly with its clients to facilitate their implementation of current legal and regulatory standards and best practices when it comes to records management and information governance.

Emerging Companies and Venture Capital 

Barton’s team advises companies and investment funds through the entire lifecycle from ideation to IPO and from fund formation to liquidity. As a nationally recognized, innovative, and entrepreneur-focused law firm, Barton recognizes each client’s perspective and potential. Assembled is a practice team that comprehensively addresses both the unique needs of emerging growth companies and the investors that fund them from formation to realization, Barton services the full range of clients’ legal needs, and importantly, is present every step of the way as each venture matures.

• Startups and Emerging Companies
• Angel Funding, Venture Capital, & Private Equity
• Investors

Financial Services, Investment Funds, and Regulatory Compliance 

Barton’s Finance Team offers a full array of financial services to start-ups, middle-market entities, and large corporations, as well as private equity and venture capital funds. Barton attorneys have handled matters pertaining to private equity funds, hedge funds, venture capital, broker-dealers, and registered investment advisors, while offering services ranging from fund formation to regulatory compliance to litigation.

Intellectual Property/Litigation 

Barton offers a full array of intellectual property services (including registration and protection of trademarks and copyrights) and coordinates with special counsel on patent prosecution matters. Barton also provides clearance opinions and advises on the use and exploitation of a client’s intellectual property.

Labor, Employment, and Executive Compensation 

Barton’s team of skilled lawyers has extensive experience guiding our clients through the maze of changing labor and employment requirements of federal, state, and local governments. The primary focus is to work with our clients to develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures that foster positive employee relations. A successful partnership between an effective human resources program and an informed, well-trained operations team is the best way to avoid costly litigation.

Transactional 

• Day-to-day employee issues
• Compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across the United States
• Drafting and reviewing employee handbooks, supervisory manuals, and personnel policies
• Offer letters, background screening authorizations, pre-adverse action notices, wage notices, and other onboarding documents
• Employment agreements, business protection agreements, non-disclosure agreements, non-solicitation agreements, non-competition agreements, and other restrictive covenants
• Internal wage and hour audits to determine if employees and independent contractors are properly classified and compensated under the FLSA and state laws
• Minimum wage exemptions, overtime exemptions, pay transparency notices, pay equity audits, tip credits, tip pools, and other wage/hour issues
• Employee terminations, reductions-in-force, layoffs, outsourcing, offshoring, severance agreements, and WARN compliance
• EEO training, sexual harassment training, anti-discrimination training, supervisor training
• Union avoidance audits, union avoidance training, and unionization campaigns
• Employment diligence for M&A and fundraising activity
• Immigration issues and work visas
• Commission and bonus plans
• Executive compensation, equity and other incentive compensation arrangements, retention agreements, change-of-control provisions, 409A compliance, and other executive-specific issues (Learn more about our capabilities regarding executive compensation and separation here.)

Litigation 

• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation lawsuits
• Unfair labor practice charges
• OSHA complaints
• Wage and hour lawsuits
• Class and collective actions
• lawsuits involving non-disclosure agreements, non-solicitation agreements, non-competition agreements, trade secrets, and unfair competition
• Labor negotiations and collective bargaining