A practical and insightful introduction to the law of cooperatives and how this form of business is differentiated from other business entities. Attorneys who have had limited exposure to the cooperative form often face a steep learning curve when negotiating with cooperatives on behalf of their clients or when attempting to represent a new client that happens to be organized as a cooperative. Although cooperatives are similar in many respects to other businesses, certain characteristics are distinctly different and not necessarily intuitive to an attorney familiar with corporations and partnerships. Also, clients seeking to form a new business might be well advised to use the cooperative form under certain circumstances, but such advice must be based on at least a working knowledge of the cooperative form and its advantages and disadvantages vis-a-vis other types of business entities. This book provides you with an introduction to cooperative law and an overview of the primary issues that differentiate cooperative law from other areas of business law.

This practical guide provides you with:

• the history and a discussion of cooperative form of business
• a comparison of the cooperative entity with other business entities
• guidelines as to when to use the cooperative form of business
• a discussion of the different types of cooperatives and cooperative structures 
• an outline of the operation and governance of cooperatives, including members, directors, and officers
• the tax implications of a cooperative
• and much more!