Buying or selling a business? Here’s what actually matters.
Most M&A deals We work on aren’t billion-dollar megamergers. They’re a founder acquiring a competitor, a startup being acqui-hired, or an SME owner selling a business they’ve built over a decade. The stakes are just as high — and the margin for error is just as thin.
We handle M&A for startups, scale-ups, and established SMEs. My focus is clean execution: getting the deal done without unnecessary cost, while making sure nothing important falls through the cracks.
Share sale vs asset sale — and why it matters
The first structural question is whether you’re buying the company (shares) or just its assets. Each has different tax consequences, different risk profiles, and different implications for things like employee entitlements and contract assignment. We work with your accountant or tax adviser to get the structure right, including consideration of CGT concessions, earn-out arrangements, and escrow mechanisms.
Due diligence is where deals are saved (or killed)
We conduct legal due diligence on target companies — reviewing corporate structure, material contracts, IP ownership, employment arrangements, litigation exposure, and regulatory compliance. The goal isn’t a 100-page report that nobody reads. It’s a clear picture of what you’re actually acquiring, what the risks are, and what protections you need in the transaction documents.
Not every deal needs a 200-page agreement
We scale the documentation to match the deal. A $500K asset purchase doesn’t need the same agreement as a $50M share sale. That said, even simple deals need to properly address warranties, indemnities, conditions precedent, and completion mechanics. Getting the balance right is what keeps costs proportionate without leaving gaps.
Post-completion isn’t an afterthought
Signing isn’t the finish line. We help with the integration side — consolidating corporate structures, novating contracts, managing warranty claims, and handling purchase price adjustments. The period after completion is when problems surface if the deal documents weren’t done properly.
Acting for both sides of the table
We act for buyers and sellers. Having seen both sides means we know what the other party’s lawyer is looking for, what’s worth pushing back on, and what’s genuinely market standard.
If you’re considering a transaction — buying, selling, or merging — let’s have a conversation about how to approach it.