J. Christopher Cuneo

Chris Cuneo uses his experience to counsel business owners in addressing a wide array of business-related legal issues that arise as part of operating their business. Among those issues are forming relationships with vendors, distributors, and strategic allies; protecting key information and relationships; assisting with risk avoidance and management; building and protecting intellectual property; developing key employee incentive programs; helping to craft and implement business succession plans; and working with owners on purchases and sales of businesses.

Representative Experience

• Ongoing involvement in the design and implementation of a multi-year, multi-faceted plan to transition control of a closely-held company to the daughter and son of the current owner.
• Handled acquisition of an industry-specialized custom manufacturing business to operate as a symbiotic subsidiary of the parent manufacturing company.
• Worked with advertising agency on the development of executive incentive bonus and phantom ownership plans in connection with a strategic re-shaping of management of the agency.
• Worked with owner of FAA-licensed domestic aircraft repair facility to develop structure, relationships, and infrastructure for global provision of aircraft component manufacturing and repair operations.
• Continuing consultation with art exhibitor and dealer on methods for commercially exploiting the intellectual property developed by the business.
• Involved with divesture of restaurant and winery businesses on behalf of a client family.
• Assistance in developing franchise model for broadening the distribution of online automotive services.
• Development of business succession plan for owner of office-warehouse buildings.
• Handled private placements of stock of manufacturer of conservation tillage and fertilizer application equipment.
• Represented owners of licensee and distributor of value-priced video products in the formation of a strategic ownership relationship to accelerate growth of the company.
• On behalf of parent limited liability company, work with Nicaraguan counsel to address issues which subsidiaries experience in connection with the development of residential real estate in southern Nicaragua.
• Oversee litigation strategy and address longer-term strategic objectives for a fixed based operator at a Colorado airport.
• Provide advice and assistance in the transition to direct manufacturing operations of a food company that has outsourced manufacturing of proprietary products or repackaged products acquired from others.
• Represented manufacturer of decorative concrete products in the licensing of a product line to a national company with complementary lines and existing distribution.

Professional Activities

Hennepin County Bar Association, Member

Minnesota State Bar Association, Member

Recognitions and Accomplishments

North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2013

University of Minnesota Law School (J.D. 1975)

University of Minnesota (B.A. 1972)

Minnesota

Wisconsin

U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit