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Wanger Jones Helsley PC

Corporate & Business

Strategic counsel for businesses at every stage, from formation and governance to transactions, restructuring, and regulatory compliance, across California.

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What We Do

Corporate & Business Services

01

Business Formation & Governance

Entity selection and formation, operating agreements, bylaws, shareholder agreements, and ongoing counsel to boards and officers of closely held and family-owned companies.

02

Mergers, Acquisitions & Asset Sales

Buy-side and sell-side representation in stock and asset transactions, joint ventures, and ownership transitions for California businesses.

03

Corporate Finance & Restructuring

Debt and equity financings, secured lending, workouts, and out-of-court restructurings for businesses managing growth or financial change.

04

Commercial Contracts & Compliance

Drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements, vendor relationships, and regulatory compliance counsel tailored to the client's industry.

05

Tax & Succession Planning

Entity-level tax structuring and generational business succession planning, coordinated with the firm's estate planning practice.

06

Bankruptcy & Insolvency

Representation of debtors and creditors in reorganization, insolvency, and creditors' rights matters, drawing on the firm's established bankruptcy experience.

Overview

How We Serve Our Clients

Wanger Jones Helsley's corporate and business group serves as outside general counsel to closely held companies, family-owned enterprises, and multi-state operators throughout California. The firm structures entities, negotiates transactions, and resolves disputes with a focus on practical, commercial outcomes for clients across the Central Valley.

Beyond day-to-day governance, contracts, and financings, the firm advises on acquisitions, restructurings, succession, and insolvency. Its full-service breadth lets clients handle transactional and contentious matters under one roof, a positioning the firm describes as a one-stop shop even on transactional work.

Whether a client is launching a venture, acquiring a competitor, navigating a regulatory question, or planning a generational transition, the firm brings senior-attorney attention and Central Valley pragmatism. Corporate clients also benefit from the firm's litigation depth when a transaction or relationship becomes contested.

Our Approach

What to Expect from WJH

— 01

Business-Driven

The firm starts with the client's commercial goals, not the legal form. Deals and documents are structured to advance the outcome the business actually wants.

— 02

Full-Service

Transactional and litigation attorneys work side by side, so corporate matters benefit from a litigator's foresight and disputes benefit from business judgment.

— 03

Senior Attention

Experienced shareholders handle the substantive work, giving clients direct access to senior counsel rather than layers of delegation.

The Team

Attorneys in this Practice

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Marisa L. Balch, Of Counsel, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Marisa L. Balch
Of Counsel
Fresno
Deborah K. Boyett, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Deborah K. Boyett
Shareholder
Fresno
Jay A. Christofferson, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Jay A. Christofferson
Shareholder
Fresno
Kathleen DeVaney, Of Counsel, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Kathleen DeVaney
Of Counsel
Fresno
Troy T. Ewell, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Troy T. Ewell
Shareholder
Fresno
Amanda G. Hebesha, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Amanda G. Hebesha
Shareholder
Fresno
Scott D. Laird, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Scott D. Laird
Shareholder
Fresno
Jeffrey B. Pape, Of Counsel, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Jeffrey B. Pape
Of Counsel
Fresno
Patrick D. Toole, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Patrick D. Toole
Shareholder
Fresno
Kurt F. Vote, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Kurt F. Vote
Shareholder
Fresno
Steven K. Vote, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Steven K. Vote
Shareholder
Fresno
Riley C. Walter, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Riley C. Walter
Shareholder
Fresno
Benjamin C. West, Shareholder, Wanger Jones Helsley PC
Benjamin C. West
Shareholder
Fresno
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Wanger Jones Helsley handle in corporate and business law?
Wanger Jones Helsley advises on business formation and governance, mergers and acquisitions, asset sales, corporate finance and restructuring, commercial contracts, tax and succession planning, and bankruptcy and insolvency. The firm serves as outside general counsel to closely held and family-owned California businesses across many industries.
Does WJH serve as outside general counsel?
Yes. Wanger Jones Helsley regularly acts as outside general counsel to closely held companies, family-owned enterprises, and multi-state operators, handling the ongoing cadence of governance, contracts, financings, and compliance that keeps a business running. Senior attorneys are directly involved, so clients work with experienced counsel rather than through layers of delegation.
Can WJH handle both business transactions and disputes?
Yes. The firm's transactional and litigation teams work together, so clients can handle deals, governance, and contested matters with one firm. This full-service breadth means a corporate matter that becomes a dispute stays with attorneys already familiar with the business.
What types of businesses does WJH represent?
Wanger Jones Helsley represents closely held companies, family-owned enterprises, multi-state operators, agricultural businesses, financial institutions, and other California enterprises. The firm tailors its corporate counsel to the client's size, industry, and goals, from new ventures to established operations planning succession.
Where is WJH's corporate practice based?
The firm's corporate and business attorneys work from offices in Fresno and Sacramento, serving clients throughout the Central Valley and across California. Many representations also extend to clients headquartered elsewhere with operations, transactions, or governance needs in California, and the firm coordinates corporate work with its litigation and real estate practices.
Who at WJH handles corporate and business matters in Fresno?
Wanger Jones Helsley's corporate and business work is handled by shareholders and of-counsel attorneys based in the firm's Fresno office, including Patrick Toole, Kurt Vote, Scott Laird, Troy Ewell, and others. The firm directs clients to the attorney whose experience best fits the company's industry and matter.
Related Practices

Explore adjacent Practice Specialties.

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Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Trial-tested advocacy for businesses, institutions, and individuals in complex disputes across California, from a firm founded by a former United States District Judge and frequently retained by other attorneys.

Real Estate

Comprehensive real estate representation for commercial, agricultural, and industrial clients, from transactions and entitlements to complex property disputes, across California.

Estate Planning and Probate Litigation

Estate, trust, and succession planning, plus probate and trust litigation, for individuals, families, and business owners across California.

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