The Benefits of a Merger & Acquisitions Attorney

If you are a small or mid-size business that is interested in merging with or acquiring another business in the area, you need to contact an experienced Florida merger & acquisitions lawyer. It is not enough for you and another business person to discuss the deal and shake on it. There is always a great deal of risk going into a merger or purchase, and you need an attorney there to represent your business’s interests and minimize the risk as much as possible.

What Does an M&A Attorney do?

Any merger or acquisition is a complex transaction that will usually require the input of numerous parties and experts. Your M&A attorney will be everyone’s point of contact. He will communicate with all of the relevant parties, gather all of the necessary information and documentation, and relay everything to you. While you handle your current business and family needs, your attorney handles the due diligence and negotiations that must take place between the initial interest and the closing of the transaction.

More specifically, your M&A lawyer may:

• Research the other entity thoroughly so you have all of the facts.
• Explain the risks you are taking on and how to mitigate them.
• Draft the letter of intent or memorandum of understanding.
• Draft a confidentiality agreement.
• Ensure the transaction adheres to all federal and state laws, including securities laws.
• Work with financial and tax experts to appropriately structure the merger or acquisition.
• Prepare a summary or memorandum of due diligence findings.
• Negotiate the terms of the agreement, including representations and warranties.
• Prepare your company for the transition in regard to its contracts with other parties, such as vendors and suppliers.
• Advise you on fiduciary duties and shareholder rights.
• Draft, review, and revise the transaction agreement.

Variations Depend on whether You Are the Buyer or Seller

Whether you are selling your business to another entity or your business is acquiring another one, you need a merger and acquisitions lawyer. Your legal counsel will focus on moving the transaction along from the initial stages of interest to close. However, the specific actions they take depend on a number of factors including whether you are the purchasing entity, your business is being sold, or whether you are two businesses merging into a new entity. The size of your business matters as well. A small, local business with only a handful of shareholders may not have the same concerns as a national business with hundreds of stockholders. It is best to work with an M&A attorney who has dealt with businesses and situations like yours before.

Contact a Florida Merger & Acquisitions Attorney Today

When combining two businesses in some fashion, you will always benefit from working with an experienced and knowledgeable M&A attorney. By having legal counsel to represent your business’s interests, you have a greater opportunity to negotiate the best deal and to mitigate all of the risks you face. You ensure small errors do not set the transaction for failure or lead to legal and financial issues down the road.

For more information on how a merger and acquisition attorney can help you, call the Law Offices of Larry E. Bray, P.A. today at 561-571-8970. Our West Palm Beach attorneys are eager to assist you today.

Resource:

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0607/0607ContentsIndex.html