Our Equine Transactional practice has provided legal service to the industry for more than 75 years. Our experience is vast and longstanding, and we understand equine law on a worldwide level.

We are prepared to assist with equine matters in the following fields:

Administrative Law
We represent race tracks and associations, as well as owners, trainers, and other persons and entities in the equine industry before administrative tribunals. We have also served as counsel to a racing commission.

Commercial
We have been a pioneer in the development of contracts for the purchase and sale of horses, and we understand the unique challenges of customs and usages in the industry.

Industry & Nonprofit Organizations
We have served as primary counsel to not-for-profit, charitable, and other Thoroughbred industry organizations for most of its history. Such representation includes negotiation and drafting of agreements with race tracks, horsemen’s organizations, sponsors, wagering entities, entertainers, and others.  We also assist in formulating and drafting an information guide for the annual world championships, including rules governing the conduct of the races.

Financing
We assist in developing the framework for commercial financing in the equine business. The firm’s attorneys have been at the forefront of developing multi-currency and Eurodollar credit facilities secured by stallions, mares, racehorses, foals, and even stallion seasons.

Intellectual Property
We provide intellectual property services to race tracks, industry organizations, and horse owners throughout the United States.

International Transactions
We represent major racing and breeding entities throughout the world. Clients come from Dubai, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Japan and New Zealand. The firm also represents United States companies participating in the highly sophisticated international equine marketplace.

Syndications
Our attorneys have the knowledge to meet your needs whether your idea of a “syndication” is a traditional stallion syndication, a dual hemisphere stallion syndication, a racing partnership, or a breeding partnership. The experience of our attorneys extends beyond the primary Thoroughbred business to include other breeds such as Quarter-horses, Standardbreds, and cold-blooded breeds.

Taxation
We advise clients in the structuring of business operations for the purpose of minimizing taxes, including income, sales use, and transfer taxes, as well as VAT and GST. Non-resident clients are also represented in the structure of operations in the United States, repatriation of earnings, and the inter-workings of double taxation treaties. Clients have been successfully represented in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service involving the application of the “hobby loss” and “passive activity loss” rules. Doug Romaine serves as a member of the Tax Advisory Board of the American Horse Council and is a frequent lecturer on equine tax issues.

Litigation and Alternative Dispute Proceedings
When conflicts do arise among participants in the industry, our Equine Litigation practice has attorneys fully versed in all aspects of litigation and alternative dispute resolution. In the public auction arena, conditions of sale frequently require the use of mediation. Our attorneys have been at the forefront of major equine litigation as well as collection matters involving familiarity with the arcane rules applicable to agisters’ liens and stud fee liens. Visit the Equine Litigation practice for more information.