Your business is unique. Your strategy for growth and long-term success should be, too. That’s why you need legal counsel that is creative and solution-oriented to your specific needs. Whether you’re planning for succession, aligning your entity choice with your values, or exploring innovative ownership models, alternative business structures like ESOPs, Cooperatives, and B Corporations can provide powerful solutions.
What we do
At Bernstein Shur, we help business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors navigate these options with clarity and confidence. Our attorneys provide strategic guidance on structuring, compliance, and long-term sustainability—so you can build a business that works for your employees, your mission, and your bottom line.
Explore your options below and see how the right structure can shape your company’s future.
- B Corporations (B Corps)
Looking to balance profit and impact? Becoming a Certified B Corporation (B Corp) or adopting benefit corporation status can help your company prioritize social and environmental responsibility while maintaining financial success. We guide businesses through the B Corp certification process, legal structuring, and ongoing compliance to align business practices with mission-driven goals.
- Cooperatives (CO-OPs) and CO-OP Hybrids
Want to combine a profitable business with shared risk and democratic principles? The new wave of co-ops and co-op hybrids are being deployed in industries well beyond the classic agriculture, credit union and utilities industries. As a precise and nimble tool, they are increasingly being used in health care, administrative services, retail, media, lodging, consumer goods, wholesale distributors, data management and most other industries. We advise our clients on their options and opportunities in the cooperative space, and assist them in implementation to maximize the business’s potential on all fronts.
- Data and Platform Cooperatives
Are you capturing the full value of your data and digital contributions? As data and intellectual property become central business assets, cooperative models are emerging to ensure that those who create and contribute value share in their benefits. Data and platform cooperatives apply shared ownership and democratic governance to digital enterprises – enabling participants to collectively manage data, IP, and strategic resources while aligning incentives and protecting privacy. Our attorneys help clients design and implement these next-generation cooperative frameworks to support sustainable, equitable growth in the data economy.
- Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
Considering succession planning while rewarding employees? An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) allows business owners to sell their company to employees, creating a tax-advantaged exit strategy while fostering long-term business stability. ESOPs can provide liquidity, preserve company culture, and enhance employee engagement. Our legal team helps businesses evaluate ESOP feasibility, navigate regulatory requirements, and structure transitions that align with company goals.
- Series LLCs and LPs
Seeking a scalable way to manage complex ventures under one structure? Series limited liability companies (LLCs) and series limited partnerships (LPs) allow businesses to create multiple “series” within a single charter—each with its own assets, liabilities, owners, and governance structure. We represent more than 30 series entities with nearly 100 distinct operating series, collectively managing assets worth many billions of dollars. From private investment funds to large-scale real estate development projects, we help clients harness the flexibility of series LLCs and LPs to streamline operations and safeguard value.
Why choose us
We don’t just lawyer—we advise, guiding you toward the business structure that supports your goals. With decades of cross-industry experience, our corporate, trusts and estates, and restructuring attorneys collaborate to craft practical, forward-looking strategies for you and your stakeholders.