Thomas Kanyock

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Thomas Kanyock
Tom Kanyock represents clients in all levels of state and federal courts. While based in Illinois, Tom has also appeared pro hac vice in many other jurisdictions throughout the United States, and is member of the Trial Bar for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Tom focuses primarily on civil and business disputes, and has a long history of handling significant litigation. He also developed a unique niche as a consultant and coach for other attorneys faced with litigation and trials. Tom represents oppressed minority equity shareholders and LLC members victimized by those in control attempting to squeeze them out of profits while freezing them into their responsibilities. Tom has won awards in the hundreds of thousands up to one recently for more than $13.4 million. Tom has significant experience battling myriad ways in which victims are oppressed, some of the most common including: Squeezing the victim attempting to force a lowball buyout of the victim’s ownership interests. Diverting company assets to other entities also in the control of the oppressors. Terminating a minority shareholder’s employment. While withholding dividends or distributions. Including refusing to release enough compensation to pay taxes in pass-through entities as they come due. Seeking to impose and enforce restrictive covenants. Denying the right to inspect corporate records. Tom has been an active member for years of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section Subcommittee on Business Divorce, as well as the Chicago Bar Association’s Business Divorce and Complex Ownership Disputes Committee, including presenting on topics such as how a small firm cost-effectively takes on a large one, business valuation, differences between Delaware and Illinois law on business oppression law, and gender and other discrimination in the board room. ​After graduating from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1992, Tom began his career handling complex tort litigation in jurisdictions throughout the Midwest. He gained extensive experience trying high-impact lawsuits in Illinois and litigating in other states. In 2008, Tom opened his own practice, in 2011, then merged his practice with a partner until joining the Patterson Firm of counsel in 2024. These diverse experiences make Tom an extremely capable and knowledgeable trial attorney. He has co-authored articles published in the Illinois Bar Journal, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and is a contributing author for publications of the American Bar Association Business Law Section. Tom was a keynote speaker for the ABA, has presented to the Illinois State Bar Association, and regularly presents to the Chicago Bar Association and other attorney and client organizations.
Phone Number: (312) 436-1442

PRACTICE AREAS

SHAREHOLDER, PARTNERSHIP, AND LLC-MEMBER DISPUTES (BUSINESS DIVORCES)

  • Shareholder, Partnership, and LLC-member Disputes (Business Divorces)
  • Access to books and records for shareholders and LLC members
  • Arbitration
  • Bylaws for corporations
  • Buyouts of corporation shareholders and LLC members
  • Capital call for partnerships, shareholders and LLC members
  • Corporate governance
  • Deadlock of directors, managers, shareholders or members of a corporation or LLC
  • Derivative actions for corporations or LLCs
  • Dissolution of a Corporation
  • Dissociation from an LLC
  • Experts in shareholder, partnership and LLC member disputes
  • Failure of corporate purpose
  • Fair market value or fair value
  • Fiduciary duties
  • Fraud
  • Freeze-outs and squeeze outs in corporations and LLCs
  • Illinois Business Corporation Act
  • Illinois Limited Liability Company Act
  • Illinois Partnership Act
  • Indemnification
  • Injunctions
  • LLC Operating Agreements
  • Mediation
  • Oppression Under the Business Corporation Act
  • Receivers in Shareholder and LLC Member Disputes
  • Remedies in Partnership, LLC, and Corporate disputes
  • Shareholder Access to Books and Records
  • Shareholder agreements
  • Waste

CONDOMIMIUM DISPUTES

  • Commercial Real Estate Litigation
  • Attorney Fees in Commercial Leases
  • Common Area Maintenance Charges
  • Common Commercial Landlord Breaches
  • Default Interest
  • Emergency Remedies
  • Fraud
  • Holdover
  • Insurance and Indemnity
  • Mitigation
  • Writing Required

BREACH OF CONTRACT

  • Breach of Contract Remedies
  • Breach of Contract

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

  • Business to Business Fraud
  • Emergency Business Litigation
  • Financial Malpractice
  • Preventing Business Lawsuits
  • Winning Business Lawsuits

EMPLOYMENT LAW

  • Employment, Commission And Brokerage Claims

INSURANCE COVERAGE

  • Insurance Coverage and Contractual Indemnity
  • Common Property and Business Owner Insurance Policy Exclusions
  • Common Commercial General Liability Insurance Exclusions
  • Making a Claim for Damage to Your Business
  • Types of Business Insurance

 

OUR SEASONED TRIAL ATTORNEYS GET RESULTS THROUGHOUT COOK AND THE COLLAR COUNTIES

Chicago remains a vibrant beautiful city.  Unfortunately, our condominiums often create tenacious disputes.  Who represents the unit owners as and not just the associations?  buildings adorning the city’s skyline are often home to vicious legal battles. Patterson Law Firm represents clients involved in condominium litigation cases throughout Cook and the collar counties.  When your property investment is on the line, you want capable legal representation with a proven record of success.  Patterson Law Firm handles all types of litigation arising from disputes under and related to the Illinois Condominium Property Act, including:

  • Breaches of fiduciary duty by associations who fail to make proper, if any, repairs.
  • Insurance claim litigation.
  • Failure to pay condominium dues.
  • Condominium governance and regulation disputes.
  • Repair and improvement cost disputes.
  • Construction defect litigation.

Call today at 312-436-1442 or contact the firm online to schedule your initial consultation.

 

Chicago Business Litigators Fight Corporate Freeze Out/Squeeze Out

EXPERIENCE AIDING MINORITY OWNERS IN BUSINESS OPPRESSION SCENARIOS

Minority shareholders can easily find themselves the target of business oppression, but unable to assert a claim that the majority has breached its fiduciary duty. That’s usually the case with squeeze out/freeze out schemes that limit the rights of minority investors, but are not technically against the best interests of the company. Before majority malfeasance forces you to sell out to the lowest bidder, come to The Patterson Firm.  Our experienced corporate litigators take decisive steps to pursue appropriate remedies. We capably manage all litigation to protect the value of your labor and investment.

DEFENDING AGAINST THE CORPORATE SQUEEZE PLAY

The term squeeze out refers to situations where the majority owners of a business attempt to cut the minority out of management decisions and withhold any significant distribution of the business’ earnings. Most squeeze out schemes follow a similar pattern:

  • A minority shareholder loses employment with the company.
  • The majority then votes that shareholder off the board.
  • The board votes to declare little or no dividends.
  • The majority shareholders continue to receive corporate money through salaries and perquisites.
  • The minority shareholder has no recourse but to sell out to the majority at a bargain price.

If you are a shareholder employed with a closely held corporation, your employment and your input on the direction of the company are probably your most valuable interests. It’s also unlikely that your shares would have value on the open market or that the majority wants to pay a fair price for them. You can’t sue for breach of fiduciary duty, because nothing the majority has done has hurt the company. Terminated, silenced and squeezed out, you may think you have no recourse. Fortunately, when you’ve run out of ideas, The Patterson Firm is just getting started.

KEEPING YOU WARM DURING A COMPANY FREEZE OUT

Freeze out refers to business oppression where the majority uses some sort of legal compulsion to force an unwilling minority shareholder to sell out, usually at less than the actual value of the shares. At The Patterson Firm, we’ve dealt with a variety of freeze out schemes:

  • Dissolution and liquidation freeze outs
  • Restrictive covenants used to trap equity holders into fiduciary obligations while out of any benefits
  • Cash out mergers
  • Expulsion clauses

CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED CORPORATE LITIGATORS FOR ANSWERS TO SQUEEZE OUTS AND FREEZE OUTS

Minority shareholders are vulnerable to removal schemes that don’t technically violate fiduciary duty. To fight this type of business oppression, you need experienced representation capable of employing proven strategies. 

SEASONED TRIAL ATTORNEYS GET RESULTS THROUGHOUT COOK AND LAKE COUNTIES

Chicago is undoubtedly one of America’s most beautiful cities. However, the condominium buildings that adorn the city’s skyline are often home to vicious legal battles. Schwartz & Kanyock, LLC represents clients involved in condominium litigation cases throughout Cook County and the Chicagoland area. We know that Chicago real estate comes at a premium and all parties pay dearly to participate in the market. Our lawyers are dedicated to helping you protect your interests and win your battles in court.

EXPERIENCED TRIAL ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING YOUR INTERESTS

When your property investment is on the line, you want capable legal representation with a proven record of success.  The Patterson Firm handles litigation arising from disputes under and related to the Illinois Condominium Property Act, including:

  • Refusal to pay for repair costs
  • Breaches of fiduciary duty by associations and developers
  • Insurance claim litigation
  • Failure to pay condominium dues
  • Condominium governance and regulation disputes
  • Repair and improvement cost disputes
  • Construction defect litigation

The depth of our experience in this field sets us apart from other law firms. Our condominium litigation attorneys have decades of combined experience litigating condominium law cases for unit owners, condominium associations and developers in a wide array of cases. Because our lawyers have litigated condominium cases from every angle, we have an intimate understanding of the laws that govern these cases, and use this knowledge to achieve the best possible results at trial.

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