--- title: Tampa Shareholder & Partnership Dispute Attorneys | Cook Law description: Facing a shareholder or partnership dispute in Tampa? Cook Law helps business owners resolve partnership and shareholder disputes and business divorces, while protecting their financial interests. --- [Skip to main content](https://www.cooklawfla.com/business-litigation/shareholder-partnership-disputes#main-content) **Give Us a Call: [813-489-1001](tel:+18134891001)** [![full logo](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hs-fs/hubfs/full%20logo.png?width=200&height=33&name=full%20logo.png) ![full logo](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hs-fs/hubfs/full%20logo.png?width=200&height=33&name=full%20logo.png) ![full logo](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hs-fs/hubfs/full%20logo.png?width=200&height=33&name=full%20logo.png) ![full logo](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hs-fs/hubfs/full%20logo.png?width=200&height=33&name=full%20logo.png)](https://www.cooklawfla.com) - [Show submenu for Practice Areas Practice Areas](https://www.cooklawfla.com/practice-areas) - [Business + Commercial Litigation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/business-litigation) - [Employment Law](https://www.cooklawfla.com/employment-law) - [General Counsel Services](https://www.cooklawfla.com/general-counsel) - [Why Choose Us](https://www.cooklawfla.com/why-cook-law) - [Insights](https://www.cooklawfla.com/blog) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Show submenu for Practice Areas Practice Areas - Practice Areas - [Practice Areas](https://www.cooklawfla.com/practice-areas) - [Business + Commercial Litigation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/business-litigation) - [Employment Law](https://www.cooklawfla.com/employment-law) - [General Counsel Services](https://www.cooklawfla.com/general-counsel) - [Why Choose Us](https://www.cooklawfla.com/why-cook-law) - [Insights](https://www.cooklawfla.com/blog) - [Request Consultation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/request-a-consultation) [Request Consultation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/request-a-consultation) # Tampa Shareholder & Partnership Dispute Attorneys **SERVING TAMPA BAY AND BEYOND** ## Disputes Between Partners Can Threaten Everything You've Built When business partners or shareholders can't agree, it can put both the business and the personal relationships behind it at risk. Cook Law helps business owners throughout Tampa Bay and beyond resolve partnership and shareholder disputes and business divorces effectively, while working to limit the financial damage to the business itself. We can help you resolve the following types of partnership disputes: #### Ownership and Investment Disputes *Disagreements over how much of the business each partner owns, especially common when a partnership was formed without a formal written agreement.* #### Mismanagement and Breach of Fiduciary Duty *Shareholders or members owe each other and the business a very high duty of loyalty and care, and disputes can range from mismanagement, to self-dealing, to outright theft of the company’s assets.* #### Minority Oppression and Squeeze Outs *Sometimes one partner will take steps to push the other partner out of the business with various ploys like emptying bank accounts, changing passwords, and transferring company assets.* #### Dissolution *When reconciliation isn't possible and a business divorce is appropriate, the financial consequences need to be fully understood before moving forward.* #### Leadership and Direction Disputes *Shareholders or members disagreeing with company leadership over the future direction of the business or how to fulfill contractual obligations* #### Derivative Lawsuits *Shareholders or company members assert claims on behalf of the company against management or third parties that cause harm to the business* ## How Cook Law Approaches Partnership Disputes and Business Divorces #### We help you understand your position first. We quickly and diligently examine partnership, shareholder, and operating agreements to determine your ownership interest and investment and the source of the dispute so you're making decisions with full information, not guesswork. #### We work with you on the best approach and execute it effectively. Shareholder and company disputes can cause lasting damage to the business if they spiral, so it is important to consider carefully whether to take aggressive action or seek to de-escalate. We can handle either approach or anything in between.  #### We bring in the right financial experts. Partnership disputes sometimes involve accounting issues and claims that one partner has taken more funds than is appropriate. And these disputes are often resolved when one partner buys out the other partner, or the business is sold to a third party. We draw on a wide network of forensic accountants, tax experts, and business valuation professionals to assist and fully understand the financial stakes of a dispute before deciding how to proceed. ![Cook Law team of Attorneys strategizing](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hubfs/Cook%20Law%20team%20of%20Attorneys%20strategizing.jpg "Cook Law team of Attorneys strategizing") ## How to Protect Your Business From the Very Start Many partnership disputes trace back to agreements that were informal, outdated, or never put in writing at all. A clear, well-drafted partnership or operating agreement won't prevent every disagreement, but disputes are easier to resolve when you have one. Our team can help you draft and structure these agreements before problems arise. ## Frequently Asked Questions ##### What happens financially when a business dissolves? It depends on the terms of your partnership agreement, if one exists, and how the business's assets, debts, and ownership interests are structured. In disputed cases, a judge can decide how assets are split up. ##### We never put our partnership agreement in writing. Do I still have rights? Yes. If there is no formal agreement, then your rights will be governed by the applicable state law governing your entity. For example,if you are a member of a Florida limited liability company, your rights and obligations are spelled out in Chapter 605 of the Florida Statutes. ##### What are the differences among a partnership dispute, a member dispute, and a shareholder dispute? It largely depends on the form of your business. Lawyers often use the terms “partnership dispute” or “business divorce” to generally describe disputes between partners in a partnership, shareholders in a corporation, or members in a limited liability company. The legal technicalities differ, but many of the underlying issues are similar. ## Facing a shareholder or partnership dispute? Let's talk it through. [Request Consultation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/request-a-consultation) [![full logo](https://www.cooklawfla.com/hs-fs/hubfs/full%20logo.png?width=800&height=133&name=full%20logo.png)](https://www.cooklawfla.com) Cook Law is based in Tampa, Florida and helps business owners resolve high-stakes disputes throughout Florida and the United States. - [Practice Areas](https://www.cooklawfla.com/practice-areas) - [Business + Commercial Litigation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/business-litigation) - [Employment Law](https://www.cooklawfla.com/employment-law) - [General Counsel Services](https://www.cooklawfla.com/general-counsel) - Quick Links - [Insights](https://www.cooklawfla.com/blog) - [Why Choose Us](https://www.cooklawfla.com/why-cook-law) - Get In Touch - [Request a Consultation](https://www.cooklawfla.com/request-a-consultation) - [General Contact Information](https://www.cooklawfla.com/contact-us) *The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.*   [Terms of Use](https://www.cooklawfla.com/terms-of-use) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.cooklawfla.com/privacy-policy) | [Cookie Policy](https://www.cooklawfla.com/cookie-notice) | [Anti-Spam](https://www.cooklawfla.com/anti-spam)   ©2026 Cook Law. All rights reserved. Website by [Sparked](https://sparkedinbound.com/).