Practice Area
Attorney Advertising
Business & Corporate
Formation, governance, contracts, M&A, and day-to-day counsel for privately held companies and their owners.
Overview
We act as outside general counsel to closely held companies — from formation through generational transition. The work spans entity choice, governance, financings, commercial agreements, and the kinds of operating questions that don't fit neatly into a deal but shape every quarter that follows.
Our approach
Boutique attention, partner-led. The lawyer who scopes the matter is the lawyer who drafts the documents, takes the call when the term sheet shifts at midnight, and sits across from the other side. We default to clear, durable structures over clever ones, because the documents we sign today must hold up across the next decade of changes we cannot foresee.
Who we serve
- Founders and operators of closely held businesses
- Family-owned companies navigating succession
- Private investors and holding company principals
- Boards and minority shareholders requiring independent counsel
Representative matters
- Business Succession Planning
- Corporate Compliance & Risk Management
- Corporate Formation & Governance
- Corporate Finance
- Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Disclaimer.The matters listed above are illustrative of the firm’s experience and are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of any future legal matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case turns on its own facts and applicable law.
Frequently asked
Common questions
- Do you act as outside general counsel?
- Yes. For many clients we function as the legal department — answering day-to-day questions, reviewing agreements, and coordinating specialist counsel when a matter calls for it.
- Will I work with the same attorney throughout?
- Yes. Astuno & Associates is intentionally small. The attorney who takes your first call remains responsible for your file. Junior attorneys assist; they do not replace the relationship.
- Can you handle a transaction outside California?
- Often, yes. Our attorneys are admitted across seven jurisdictions and routinely coordinate with local counsel where required.
Related practices
Discuss a business & corporate matter
Every engagement begins with a direct conversation with a senior attorney.