Mergers and acquisitions require extensive experience and legal skill. The Watkins Firm has 40+ years of experience serving the business, science and tech, real estate and medical / healthcare communities here in San Diego and across California. We have successfully completed thousands of these complex transactions
Buying an existing business, selling your company or it’s assets, merging with another entity, and/or the transfer of controlling interest in your company to employees or key individuals is quite legally and financially complex. It is also fraught with risk for all parties. This is why it is important to speak with the experienced San Diego business mergers and acquisitions attorneys at the Watkins Firm.
Mergers and Acquisitions Attorneys Protect Your Interests and Investment
The mergers and acquisitions attorneys at the Watkins Firm protect your interests and investment. It doesn’t matter if you are acquiring a single bucket truck or the entire operations of a large corporation. Business assets are secured differently than personally financed assets and it is important to make sure there are no hidden or unknown encumbrances or contingent liabilities. You don’t want to acquire an asset or a company only to find out there were serious flaws either with the target of the acquisition or the transaction itself.
We guide our clients through every step of the process to protect their interests while helping to achieve their goals for the transaction. There are two primary ways to purchase or sell a company – an asset purchase contract or a stock purchase transaction. Each provides specific pros and cons and our experienced business attorneys help to guide you to ensure the transaction is completed smoothly while every tangible benefit you anticipate is realized.
An Asset Purchase or a Stock Purchase?
One of the reasons business acquisitions require a skilled attorney in San Diego is to structure the transaction and to help the client to either conduct due diligence or prepare disclosures for the prospective buyer. In an asset purchase, the buyer receives title to specific assets such as real estate, equipment and machinery, vehicles, inventory as well as a customer base and/or the intellectual property of the seller. These assets must be researched to ensure there are no contingent liabilities and to ensure clear title may be passed to the purchaser.
In a stock purchase, the seller is literally allowing the buyer to “step into their shoes” as the owner or controlling interest of the company. This transaction leaves critical financing and specific contracts (such as military contracts) in place and transfers all assets and liabilities of the acquisition to the buyer. Usually, the seller is asked to remain active in the business for a period of time to allow for the transfer of goodwill and to protect existing customers. This also provides the buyer with the ability to raise genuine issues concerning values, debts and assets established in the acquisition documents.
Why Do Business Acquisitions Require Extensive Experience and Legal Skill?
Why do business acquisitions require extensive experience and legal skill? If one is simply going to purchase a business asset it is wise to ensure clear title is available and passed to the buyer in the transaction. If there are multiple assets or a company is changing hands there are simply too many details which must be negotiated, worked through, researched, disclosed, and ultimately captured in an enforceable contract.
The attorneys at the Watkins Firm have more than 40 years of experience and have facilitated literally hundreds of millions of dollars in business transactions over the years. Experience provides the skill to pick up on small details which might hint at bigger problems underneath or down the road. The seller wants to complete the transaction for as much money as possible and move on to their next adventure. The buyer wants to make sure they’re getting a good deal and actually receive the “benefit of the bargain” with their acquisition.
Once the deal is completed any issue which arises will mire both parties in costly and time-consuming litigation.
Business acquisitions require acquisitions require extensive experience and legal skill to protect your position and interests and ensure you receive the benefit of the bargain you seek. Ask about our extensive proprietary library of proven, battle-tested M & A contracts and due diligence checklists. We don’t have to create them from scratch. These valuable agreements and checklists have been proven in hundreds, if not thousands, of successful mergers and acquisitions transactions.
The skilled mergers and acquisitions attorneys at the Watkins Firm help to facilitate the “deal” while providing our clients with the advantages of extensive experience, insight and power. We protect our clients and help them to accomplish their goals while reducing or eliminating risks associated with unexpected surprises and contingent liability. We invite you to review our podcast Episode 13 – Mergers and Acquisitions as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.
