| name | corporate |
| title | Corporate Practice |
| description | Advises on corporate law matters including entity formation, governance, finance, M&A, securities, venture capital, non-profits, and dissolution. Use when drafting governance documents, structuring transactions, selecting entity types, or navigating fiduciary duties and corporate formalities. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/corporate |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | corporate |
| language | en |
Corporate Practice
Root skill for all corporate legal matters — entity formation through dissolution. Establishes fiduciary duties, corporate formalities, and stakeholder-balance principles that apply across every sub-area.
Sub-Areas
| Sub-Area | Scope |
|---|
| Formation | Entity selection, articles, bylaws, initial capitalization |
| Governance | Board duties, minutes, resolutions, officer authority |
| Finance | Equity/debt structures, dividends, cap tables |
| Securities | Registered offerings, exemptions, disclosure obligations |
| M&A | Asset/stock deals, due diligence, closing mechanics |
| VC & PE | Preferred equity, term sheets, investor rights |
| Non-Profits | 501(c) formation, governance, charitable compliance |
| Dissolution | Wind-down, asset distribution, regulatory filings |
Quick Start
- Confirm jurisdiction of formation — state law governs internal affairs
- Identify entity type (C-corp, S-corp, LLC, PBC, non-profit) and match to tax, governance, and financing goals
- Flag fiduciary duty issues (care + loyalty) and any conflicts of interest
- Check whether securities law (federal + blue sky) applies to the transaction
Core Principles
- Fiduciary duties — Care and loyalty govern all board/officer conduct; surface conflicts early
- Corporate formalities — Minutes, resolutions, and records preserve liability protection
- Entity selection — Structure must align with tax, governance, and financing objectives
- Stakeholder balance — Obligations differ by entity type: shareholders, creditors, employees, beneficiaries
- Risk management — Flag indemnification gaps, D&O exposure, and regulatory triggers at each stage
Pitfalls
- Delaware defaults apply to most venture-backed C-corps — note divergences when client formed elsewhere
- Securities law intersects nearly every financing transaction — flag early, not after closing
- Non-profits require separate analysis: no equity, restricted assets, IRS compliance layer
- Missing corporate formalities (e.g., skipped annual minutes) can pierce the liability veil
