Practice Areas
BANKING & FINANCE
RIDDLE & WIMBISH has represented both lenders and borrowers. Accordingly, the Firm has worked extensively with deals relating to real estate and with commercial lending, mortgage banking and business finance.
Since its foundation, RIDDLE & WIMBISH has worked in real estate and commercial lending including bank document preparation for the lending and borrowing process, encompassing all aspects of secured transactions and financing, non-recourse loans, loan participations, debt syndications, restructuring and loan workouts. Some representative activities are:
- preparation of loan documents for loan commitments, loan agreements, notes, mortgages, and other security documentation plus special instruments as may be required by a particular transaction;
- examination and review of legal title, including authoring title opinions, consultation regarding benefits of title insurance and handling the curative work necessary to establish merchantable title;
- general consultation and advice relating to lender practices and procedures and relating to the effects of Oklahoma and Federal law; and
- representation of banks and SBA Certified Development Companies as an attorney certified by the SBA to assist with coordination and closing of loans, including submission of the final loan packages to the SBA for debenture sale.
BUSINESS REPRESENTATION
RIDDLE & WIMBISH specializes in small and medium-sized business representation and has extensive experience in legal matters involving all types of organizations, including private and public corporations; limited liability companies; foundations; associations; partnerships; joint ventures; and franchising operations.
We have a broad background in multiple disciplines of the law typically affecting business organizations. We deal with asset and share acquisitions and dispositions; advising clients in contract negotiations and preparing agreements to implement business deals and arrangements; and generally providing corporate services and operations advice related to routinely-encountered problems such as taxation, banking and finance, contracts, collections, and business disputes. Further background includes business financing, partnership and corporate formation, capitalization, rearrangements, debt and equity restructurings, consolidations, reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, and dissolutions.
INCOME TAXATION
RIDDLE & WIMBISH advises our clients and their businesses with regard to income taxation exposure, whether they are sole proprietorships, partnerships, joint ventures, or corporations. The Firm has an extensive background in the areas of income tax consequences encountered in business transactions, restructurings, reorganizations and recapitalizations. Members of the Firm are noted authorities in the area of like-kind tax deferred exchanges under §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code and qualified intermediation under the tax regulations.
PROBATE PROCEEDINGS
RIDDLE & WIMBISH has extensive background advising clients about, and leading them through, the court process of probate of Wills and the administration of estates of decedents leaving no Will.
REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION, DEVELOPMENT & FINANCING
RIDDLE & WIMBISH has served as counsel for local and national real estate partnerships, corporations, individuals and trusts as well as for banks, insurance companies, trust companies, and other financial institutions involved in a variety of real estate transactions. Our activities have included providing advice on all types of real estate, such as single-family residences, apartment buildings, condominiums—including condo conversions, office complexes, shopping centers, warehouses and industrial facilities. Legal counsel and advice is frequently provided on the Federal and State taxation of transactions, including tax deferred exchanges under §1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Firm's real estate experience includes such activities as:
- evaluation of developed and undeveloped property in anticipation of purchase, sale or financing;
- negotiations for property purchase or sale;
- contract preparation and/or review;
- examination of title, curing of title defects, and providing advice regarding title insurance;
- negotiation of financing terms and preparation and/or review of related documents;
- preparation of contracts relating to property development, including contracts for labor and materials, insurance, and for the services of professionals such as engineers and architects;
- resolution of disputes among contractors, laborers, and owners as well as disputes over bonds or other forms of surety;
- preparation and negotiation of leasing residential and commercial properties along with resolution of disputes and collections pertaining to such leases; and
- real estate debt restructuring and foreclosures.
The Firm serves as General Counsel, providing legal services and advice for Tulsa's Oklahoma Title & Escrow Corporation (www.oklahomatitle.com), a full service escrow, closing and title insurance company.
WEALTH PRESERVATION, ESTATE PLANNING & ASSET PROTECTION
RIDDLE & WIMBISH has both a broad practice and extensive experience in planning for estates of all levels, including estate and family wealth preservation planning and asset protection strategies, wills, a wide variety of strategically designed trust vehicles, probate, guardianships, and tax planning. Members of the Firm advise clients and their life insurance agents in the best uses and methods of ownership of life insurance within the wealth preservation and planning process. Primary consideration is given to our client's specific personal and family circumstances for non-tax purposes and needs. Then, emphasis is provided to the implementation of appropriate income, gift and estate tax strategies to accomplish those purposes and needs, together with the aggregation, preservation and protection of the client's wealth. Planning is designed to:
- achieve flexible lifetime wealth and asset management goals;
- control assets and provide for needs of the client and his or her family in the event of incapacity;
- provide asset protection from creditors;
- effect post-mortem control and protection of assets for future generations;
- provide after death for the client’s spouse and family, taking into consideration the client's desires and the age, special needs, education, maturity, business acumen and other circumstances of family members;
- effect post-mortem administration of the planned estate, and the administration of trusts;
- provide leadership succession planning for the protection of business assets with plans for succession of business ownership; and
- use efficient gift and estate tax strategies for implementing all of these needs and purposes.
