The Principles of Family Business Law

The Principles of Family Business Law offers an accessible approach to legal issues that shape family businesses. Drawing on years of research, the book introduces three principles – intimacy, integration, and inheritance – that explain why family businesses are distinctive and how, with proper guidance, they can thrive. The book examines recurring problems such as role conflicts among family members, succession planning obstacles, and ownership disputes. Vivid case studies illustrate how legal rules interact with family dynamics in practice. Designed for scholars, students, lawyers, and business advisors, the book integrates insights from corporate law, family law, and estate planning, while remaining readable and grounded in real-world concerns. Whether used in the classroom or in practice, it provides essential tools for navigating the complex interplay of law and family business. By supporting the resilience of family businesses, the book affirms the family and community values they help to sustain.

Benjamin Means is John T. Campbell Chair in Business and Professional Ethics at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. He is the founding director of the United State's first law-school-based family business program, where he has developed an innovative curriculum to prepare law students to represent family business owners. His scholarly work, published in top journals, has established a new field of legal academic inquiry.