Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

October 22, 2020

The Importance of a Hiring a Pro-Business Attorney

By Achim Neumann

Legal counsel, per definition, should always protect its client’s best interests. However, if you are in a business purchase or sale process, they should also be aware of certain demands or stances that could seriously impact outcome final transaction closing.

An ideal attorney should be deal-friendly and have a transaction-wise mentality in order to make sure expectations are met. If you are transparent with your lawyers regarding how interested you are to close the deal, they should be more thoughtful and attentive that their buying or selling requirements are not too outrageous or complicated for both sides.

See below for some of the key aspects that your legal counsel has to consider in any buying or selling process:

  1. That both sides thoroughly understand the transaction, that is, the business being purchased or sold;
  2. That all corporate records, financial statements and regulatory duties are complete and up to date;
  3. That all current insurance policies and agents are described and available.

If you are dealing with a partnership or any other business structure with more than one owner, there needs to be one appointed representative that speaks for the group, and such representation should be in a written and signed form by all owners or stockholders.

It is crucial that the buyer and the seller both have the same clear understanding of the terms of sale and its details. Therefore, good communication between the buyer and seller is one of the main priorities, as either side, while having their own perception of the deal, can sometimes not understand completely who’s getting what, as a small misunderstanding can completely doom the sale.

The relationship between each party and its attorneys should be completely transparent, confidential, and they should always express how interested they are in closing the deal. No assumptions or unilateral decisions should be made by lawyers without consulting their clients, and if an issue needs to be addressed, it has to be before any final decisions are made. Sometimes, even after the offer is signed, mistakes are made when attorneys from either side assume that everyone else is doing their part and then the process becomes more complicated with now unaddressed issues. Without realizing, a small misunderstanding can make the other side angry, damage therefore cannot be contained, and the sale is unfortunately never going to close.

The issue of having to deal with business lawyers can be mitigated by utilizing the services of a professional business broker firm. Throughout years of operations, business brokers have a wide network of qualified transaction attorneys, and a good business broker will give each party always three attorney referrals to be interviewed. Additionally, with enough previous experience and knowing the entire operational processes, they can make the entire sale much simpler for both sides, while simultaneously, being an independent mediator to the deal. In any case, it’s good to remind that it is essential that both sides have the same understanding and approach to the sale in order for it to happen.

About A Neumann & Associates, LLC

A Neumann & Associates, LLC is a professional mergers & acquisitions and business brokerage firm having assisted business owners and buyers in the business valuation and business transfer process through its affiliations for the past 30 years. With an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, the company has senior trusted professionals with a deep knowledge based in multiple field offices along the East Coast and has performed hundreds of business valuations in its history. The firm’s competitive transaction fees are based on successfully completing transactions. For more information, please contact A Neumann & Associates at 732-872-6777 or info@neumannassociates.com

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Client Testimonials

“ I appreciate your diligent approach to screening buyers and sellers as well as the high quality CIM that you produce.”

Andrey O, Investor

“Finally enjoying retirement after recently selling my business using the services of A Neumann & Associates. Joe Oddo provided the conduit to a successful transaction. Joe knew when to inject input and when to simply listen and allow the buyers to vent, step back and regroup. The outcome met our expectations and got us to the finish line, which included my staying with the company six months in order for the buyers to get their footing and keep our workforce in the loop. He helped at every step by providing his expert guidance & resources. Thank you!”

Emily Parker Myers, Co-Owner - Myers McRae

“I had been in touch with Karin and Gary from A Neumann & Associates regarding some opportunities and was looking forward to meeting with them. Hence, when they organized a seminar in Princeton, NJ, I was quick to sign up. The seminar was very informative as the team walked the attendees through various scenarios and referenced real life buying/selling situations they had been through. The sessions by Gary, Karin and Achim were crisp and focused and brought clarity to potential seller and buyers. I strongly recommend the team and look forward to continue working with them.”

Gaurav Tyagi

“Thank you for your Event on "How to value, Sell, and Buy A Business for Maximum Profit" and the insight into ANA’s approach on what is involved in the Business Exit for sellers. Garys Hervieiou's "Business Valuation", Achim's "Deal structure" presentation and Karin’s "Preparing the Package" are real street knowledge shared. They answered attendees questions which makes it more interesting for learning from others. Great for small businesses like us. The presentations were totally worth our time and travel for the event to Princeton, NJ from Rockville MD. Ravi Bhutani, President, CIPS”

Ravi Bhutani

“Gary, this is to thank you for an excellent job done in selling our business. We could never have done it without your professional expertise, dedication and time put in without reservation to make it happen. We will gladly and highly recommend you to anybody in our position.  It was a pleasure to work with you.”

Pat Iammatteo, Owner

“Your vetting is simply outstanding, among the best I've seen from a broker.”

Eric H., Investor

“I recently contacted A. Neumann and Associates about getting a valuation of my business done. I spoke with Marc, who explained the process in detail. After meeting with Marc in order to get a clear understanding of my business, and what I was hoping to accomplish. His patience in answering all my questions and his knowledge of the proper way to market my business gave me great confidence that this is the firm I will be using to sell my business for max value. Working with Marc at A Neumann & Associates was very easy and professional. I did not know all that was going to be involved in selling my business but they helped me through the process. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. I highly recommend this firm to anybody who wants to sell now or down the road. Marc not only knows his stuff, but actually is a real nice guy.”

Double Diamond

“Used A Neumann & Associates to sale my business. could not imagine having done it with out the patience and experience Gary provided. Thanks Gary,”

Dennis Frazier

“Working with Marc and his company was a pleasure. What I thought was going to be a just another one of those pushy sales companies was just the opposite. Polite, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to talk to and deal with. Marc handled most of the interaction and he has one of the greatest demeanors. Again, it was a pleasure working with him and his firm.”

Douglas DiCeglio

“I recently completed an acquisition using A Neumann & Associates. Tony Valentino was very helpful and accessible during the entire process. They do a thorough job vetting both parties and got us to the finish line.”

Srini Mudambi
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If you are considering selling your business, please contact us to learn more about our comprehensive service spectrum. Our experienced professionals will answer all your questions about selling a privately held business in complete confidentiality. Please fill out our contact form, or call us at 732-872-6777. We will contact you directly and will never identify ourselves to your employees.

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