Clifford A. "Cliff" DeGroot

Expert guidance through a complex shareholder dispute

Our small tech company in Portland faced a challenging internal shareholder disagreement that threatened to derail our operations. We engaged Cliff DeGroot at Holland & Knight based on a colleague's recommendation, and his counsel proved invaluable. Cliff's deep understanding of corporate governance, honed over his five years in practice, was immediately apparent. He adeptly navigated the nuances of Oregon corporate law, translating complex legal principles into clear, actionable advice for our board. His recognition in corporate governance law was well-earned; he structured a mediation framework that addressed fiduciary duties and minority shareholder rights with impressive precision. What stood out most was his accessible, no-nonsense approach—he never talked down to us and was always willing to explain the 'why' behind his strategies. The resolution he helped us achieve was fair and preserved crucial business relationships. The only slight critique would be that during particularly busy periods, response times on non-urgent emails could stretch to a full business day, but this was a minor trade-off for the quality of his work. We felt confidently represented and would not hesitate to work with Cliff again on corporate matters.