Hart Kienle Pentecost

06/15/2026

From choosing a business structure to drafting contracts and maintaining regulatory compliance, legal decisions can affect a company at every stage of growth. Learn more about the role business lawyers play in helping businesses navigate legal challenges and opportunities.

What does a business lawyer do? Learn how they guide companies on contracts, compliance, and disputes to protect and support business success.

06/10/2026

Congratulations to John H. Pentecost and Andrew C. Kienle on being recognized in the Orange County Business Journal's annual Top Litigators & Corporate Attorneys issue.

As Shareholders and Managing Partners, Mr. Pentecost and Mr. Kienle lead Hart Kienle Pentecost, one of Southern California’s most respected law firms for nearly 45 years. Mr. Pentecost is widely known for his decades of experience representing California's manufactured housing industry. Mr. Kienle is recognized for his successes in trust and estate litigation, business disputes, and real estate matters over the last 30 years.

Their inclusion in this year's publication reflects the depth of experience, leadership, and commitment to client success that define Hart Kienle Pentecost.

We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and grateful for the trust our clients place in our firm every day.

To read the full feature, click here: https://www.ocbj.com/custom-content/top-litigators-2026/

06/08/2026

If your business experiences a corporate data breach, you must act immediately to secure your operations, fix technical vulnerabilities, and consult legal counsel to navigate federal and state compliance laws. Under strict state and federal notification guidelines, companies are legally required to swiftly notify law enforcement, credit bureaus, and affected individuals to minimize the risk of identity theft. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/data-breach-response-guide-business

06/02/2026

Deciding whether to sell or close a business can involve important financial, legal, and tax considerations. Learn more about the differences between liquidation, transfer of ownership, and selling a business as a going concern.

Weighing the decision to close or sell your business? Uncover signs to sell, reasons to close, and financial insights in our comprehensive guide.

05/25/2026

Corporate transparency is now a baseline expectation for lenders and investors, not just government red tape. Murky ownership structures can stall transactions and delay venture funding. Read why clear governance matters and let us fortify your legal infrastructure.

https://www.incorp.com/resources/knowledge-base/new-era-corporate-transparency

05/22/2026

This Memorial Day, we honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

In observance of the holiday, our office will be closed on Monday, May 25th. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend.

05/22/2026

Growth brings both opportunity and exposure. Strategic entity separation can help protect the business from costly risks.

Align strategy with business goals.

05/18/2026

Contracts set expectations—and hidden risks—so don’t rely on templates alone. Key clauses (scope, payment, termination, dispute resolution, indemnities) can make or break a deal; contact us for a contract review to protect your business.

A business should know what makes a contract enforceable and understand key provisions beyond the main deal, such as termination and dispute resolution.

05/12/2026

We’re proud to share that HKP Managing Partner Andrew Kienle has been recognized in Orange Coast Magazine’s “Best of O.C. Legal 2026.”

Andrew’s dedication to clients, strategic advocacy, and longstanding reputation within the Orange County legal community continue to set him apart. We are honored to see his work recognized among Orange County’s top legal professionals.

Congratulations, Andrew, on this well-deserved recognition!

Read the full feature here:

For this year’s selection process, we brought our legal honors in-house under the guidance of a former publisher of Super Lawyers. To ensure a thoughtful and well-rounded approach, we partnered with a third- party data team to survey attorneys, reviewed other reputable rankings and applied our own...

05/11/2026

Registering a federal trademark with the USPTO gives you stronger nationwide rights than state or common‑law use — if another business is using your name, preserve evidence of first use and consult a trademark attorney about cease‑and‑desist options and enforcement.

If another company takes your business name, you may want to consider speaking to a business lawyer to decide the best strategy to take. Learn next steps in this guide.