ACQUISITION PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION

Sales and acquisitions of businesses require extensive knowledge of and experience with many aspects of business law. From due diligence investigations of the assets and business of the seller, to planning for tax, accounting and securities law concerns, the Business Law Group assists its clients in structuring transactions in order to establish the legal protections that are required to attain the desired business goals. The Business Law Group's approach ensures that an acquisition is carefully integrated with the means of financing. We pay special attention to the material assets involved, from intellectual property in the case of technology ventures to hazardous waste concerns when buildings or other facilities are involved.

The Business Law Group provides detailed advice to clients on the structuring and implementation of compensation and equity arrangements for management and other employees. We take care to consider and explain available alternatives in order to assist each client in maximizing the incentive to key employees while meeting the long-term ownership and control concerns of the owners of the business.

Every privately held business must plan ahead for the future transfer of ownership. Principal owners must review and plan how they intend to transfer their ownership interests, and how management is to evolve. With possible estate taxes in excess of 50% for even relatively small estates, careful attention must be paid, especially for family-owned and other closely-held enterprises, in order to avoid an unintended forced sale of the business which might otherwise become necessary to meet estate tax liabilities. In addition, careful planning is required to insure the success and growth of the business as it passes between generations of ownership.