Francis J. Sullivan
Founding Partner - Yardley OfficeYardley, PA
Francis J. Sullivan is the Founding Partner of Hill Wallack LLP’s Yardley, Pa., office. He is partner-in-charge of the Business & Commercial and Trusts & Estates practice groups, a member of the Banking & Financial Services group and is a member of Hill Wallack’s Management Committee.
He is the legal counselor to numerous family owned businesses, middle market corporate entities and partnerships, and provides guidance in their development and growth, whether through M & A activities or organic growth. As such an advisor, he counsels business owners on the when and how to maximize and protect the value of their labors, including generational transfers via succession planning; internal transfers to existing shareholders/partners and external arm’s length transfers/sales to third parties.
Because of his extensive background and experience in dealing with the life cycles of business entities and their owners, Mr. Sullivan is also frequently requested to act as a Mediator to assist in the resolution of business and commercial disputes, including contractual disputes, as well as internal disputes among the owners, both before and after litigation is filed.Mr. Sullivan is admitted to practice before the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his Law Degree and Master of Laws in Taxation from Villanova University School of Law. He is a former Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Sullivan earned a Certificate in Estate Planning from the Graduate Tax Division of Temple University School of Law and obtained his B.A. from La Salle University.
Representative Matters- Negotiates and documents business entity sales and acquisitions, and advises on related real estate, tax and regulatory issues
- Obtains structured financing to further clients’ business needs, growth and development
- Advises on business entity planning, organizing, restructuring and governance (including documenting relationships between and among business entities and their owners)
- Negotiates, structures and drafts operating, partnership and shareholder agreements, agreements for retirement and buy-outs of partners and corporate owners, and assists with generational succession planning
- Litigates commercial disputes, including shareholder and business "divorces," entity liquidations, and restrictive covenants and protection of intellectual property and trade secrets
LeadershipHe remains very active in the legal profession, as well as in charitable and civic activities.
- Member, Board of Directors, Central Bucks County Chamber of Commerce
- Member, American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Bucks County Bar Association
- Member, Inns of Court of Bucks County
- Member, House of Delegates of the Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Life Time Fellow, Pennsylvania Bar Foundation
- Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2005-2011, 2014-2020
- Former Member, Hearing Committee, The Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board
- Past President, Bucks County Bar Association
- Treasurer and Past President, Charitable Foundation of the Bucks County Bar Association
- Vice President, Past President, Family Service Association of Bucks County
- Corporate Secretary, Board of Directors, Member of the Executive Committee, United Way of Bucks County
- Member, Bucks County Council Executive Board, Boy Scouts of America
In addition, he is actively involved in alumni affairs of La Salle University and is a former member of the La Salle University Alumni Board of Directors.
Presentations & Publications- Leadership Is Not About Being The Boss, Outlook Magazine
- Co-Presenter, Business Ethics, Institute of Management Accountants seminar (June 2014)
