All practice areas

Mergers and Acquisitions

Buying, selling, or merging a business, from letter of intent to closing.

What This Covers

Whether you’re buying a business or selling the one you built, the work runs from the letter of intent through diligence, the purchase agreement, and closing. I represent both buyers and sellers.

The questions owners worry about are usually the right ones: whether to structure the deal as an asset or equity purchase, what the buyer will find in diligence, what promises the seller makes in the purchase agreement and for how long, how much of the price is held back, and what role the seller plays after closing.

I start by learning how the business actually runs, so the documents match the deal instead of the other way around. I work alongside your broker, accountant, and lender so nothing falls between the roles.

How the Work Starts

Ideally before a letter of intent is signed, while price, structure, and exclusivity are still open. See how engagements work.

What Shapes the Scope

Cost depends on the deal’s structure, the scope of diligence, and the timeline to close.

Questions people ask

Questions About
Mergers and Acquisitions

Quick answers to the things owners ask before they call.

Yes. Most of a letter of intent isn’t binding, but it sets the price, structure, exclusivity period, and key terms the rest of the deal is built on. Changing those points after signing is difficult and often costs goodwill. A short review at this stage is one of the best investments in a deal.

In an asset sale, the buyer purchases specific assets and agrees to take on specific liabilities. In an equity sale, the buyer purchases the company itself, along with its history. Buyers usually prefer asset deals and sellers usually prefer equity deals, and the tax consequences differ, so I work with your accountant on structure early.

The buyer reviews the business: contracts, finances, employees, permits, pending claims, and anything else that affects value or risk. For sellers, the best preparation is organized records. Missing documents slow a deal down and give the buyer reasons to renegotiate.

Clean up the things a buyer will examine: up-to-date governing documents, clear ownership records, written contracts with key customers and vendors, and agreements that can be assigned to a buyer. A company prepared for sale years ahead usually sells faster and with fewer price adjustments.

Yes. Brokers find buyers and manage the process, accountants handle valuation and tax structure, and lenders finance the purchase. I handle the legal documents and protect your interests in them, and I coordinate with the rest of your team so nothing falls between the roles.