Tonkon Torp client Rogue Creamery became the first Oregon enterprise to become a benefit company on Jan. 1, 2014, the date Oregon’s new law went into effect. Tonkon attorney Justin Denton did the legal work for Rogue Creamery’s registration. Benefit companies allow business owners to include in their company’s governing documents a commitment to provide a positive impact on society and the environment as primary business purposes. According to Denton , this registration helps protect the company decision makers from being sued by company owners for not focusing solely on the bottom line. In the case of Rogue Creamery, he said, the new structure simply reflects the way the client has done business for decades.

Learn more