Biography

Karen Yuen is a general business and transactional attorney, the bulk of whose work involves advising privately and publicly owned businesses in the wine industry. These matters range from complex real estate and corporate transactions, including acquisition and disposition of wineries, vineyards, inventory, and brands, to general real property, corporate and tax matters, and general operations. With respect to the latter, Karen assists her wine clients in negotiating joint ventures, financings (from both the borrower’s and the lender’s perspective), grape purchase agreements, production agreements, and a range of other agreements, including those involving trademarks and licensing.

Her transactional practice is a natural extension of her mergers and acquisitions work. She negotiates the transaction and develops sophisticated, innovative strategies to help deliver her clients’ unique objectives and business needs. In conjunction with a purchase, she advises clients on how to hold and manage the business and assets. With respect to wineries, clients range from those who own their facilities and vineyards to virtual wineries that require advice on their relationships with vineyard managers, grape sources, and custom crush facilities. With respect to growers, Karen advises them on their relationships with vineyard managers and wineries.

Karen also advises clients on mergers and acquisitions in non-wine industries, and provides a similarly broad range of legal services, such as restating operating agreements, general corporate counseling, and other matters. Clients in this category have included real estate developers.

Her approach combines the practicality of a trained accountant, which she is, with the strategic thinking and trusted expertise of an attorney with considerable experience in family-owned, multigenerational businesses. She has developed numerous structures to help align business goals between the parties to a transaction, and handles generational and family ownership situations in which varying degrees of interest and operational expertise are harmonized in order to develop a favorable outcome for all stakeholders.

Firm Highlights

Event

CalCPA Wine Industry Conference 2023

Holly Sutton and Rebecca Stephens are speakers at the CalCPA Wine Industry Conference 2023 for the session "Labor Law Update." Session Overview: Explore the critical distinctions between employees and contractors, delve into wage and hour regulations, gain...

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Publication

Quick Tip: State Filings in Massachusetts and Connecticut

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource.  I'm Cynthia Rowland, and episode 55 is the sixth in a series of Quick Tip episodes focusing on the details of state registration of...

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Publication

Corporate Transparency Act Imposes New Disclosure Obligations on Business Entities Effective January 1, 2024

If you own an interest of 25% or more in any business entity or have any substantial control over any business entity (including as a manager or senior officer), or if you are responsible...

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Event

19th Annual Renewable Energy Law Conference

Dirk Mueller is speaking at the 19 th Annual Renewable Energy Law Conference on "Mineral Issues’ Impact on Real Estate Documents, Siting and Planning: Texas vs. California."

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News

Farella Braun + Martel Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth 2023

Farella Braun + Martel is pleased to announce that our Private Client Industry Group and Family Wealth Partner Mark Weaver were recognized in Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) Guide 2023 in the Private Wealth...

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Publication

IRS Moves to Target Wealthy Taxpayers in Historic Compliance Drive

This month, the IRS announced that it is using the long-term funding approved by Congress through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to shift its attention to wealthy taxpayers in an effort to “identify sophisticated...

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Publication

Nonprofit Tenants and Lease Agreements: Best Practices and Pitfalls to Avoid

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . I'm Cynthia Rowland, and today, we are again lucky to have Farella real estate partner Quinn Arntsen with us to talk about leasing...

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News

Chris Locke Recognized for Jack London State Historic Park Pro Bono Work

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Event

All the Legalese: What You Need to Know About the New Pay Transparency Law and Other Legal Updates

Holly Sutton is a Winejobs.com 2023 HR Summit speaker for the session "All the Legalese: What You Need to Know About the New Pay Transparency Law and Other Legal Updates." Session Overview: It can be...

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News

Who’s Who Legal 2023 Recognizes Farella Lawyers

Six Farella Braun + Martel lawyers have been recommended by Who’s Who Legal 2023 as leading practitioners in their fields. Who’s Who Legal – Environment 2023 James Colopy Robert Hines David Lazerwitz Chris Locke...

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