Acquisitions and disposals

Whether you’re buying or selling a business, we provide practical legal advice to secure the best possible outcomes

Our Corporate team has vast experience in helping clients to buy and sell businesses. Our service is partner-led throughout, and we work on a wide range of transaction sizes and structures.

All our lawyers have a commercial mindset, and we use our experience to back your aspirations and manage risk. We focus on pragmatic solutions that work well for all parties.

Issues to consider in a transaction

We’ll support you on all the legal issues involved in planning, negotiating, and executing a sale or acquisition of a business:

• Structuring the transaction: Advising you on whether a share sale (selling / buying shares in the company that owns the business) or asset sale (selling / buying the business and its assets, e.g. property and equipment) will be most appropriate.
• Timeframes: Securing the right timing for the transaction, including the need to factor in, for example, licence transfers or third-party consents.
• Purchase price payments: Exploring different price adjustment mechanisms such as deferred payments or earn-out deals to support everyone’s strategic, financial, and tax objectives.
• Confidentiality: Using pre-contractual documents, including non-disclosure and exclusivity agreements, to keep details of a proposed transaction confidential.
• Related issues: Coordinating with our colleagues across the firm on other aspects involved, such as commercial property, employment contracts, or banking and finance to ensure a seamless process.

Early advice supports good outcomes

Good due diligence secures better transactions for both buyers and sellers, and we’ll guide you through all the steps.

If you’re thinking of selling, we can help you put together the paperwork you’ll need to show a buyer. By having this in place ahead of time, you can avoid delays.

If you’re acquiring a business, we can protect your best interests, including through the use of indemnities and warranties that safeguard your position.

Practical support in the round

Our Corporate team at Lindsays supports business sales and disposals across a wide range of company sizes and sectors. These include companies working in technology, renewables, hospitality and leisure, pharmacies, nurseries, dental and veterinary practices, and many more.

Thanks to this experience, we understand the nuances of these specific sectors; we also know the sensitive people-related considerations involved in buying or selling family businesses.

In order to facilitate the disposal or acquisition, and your next steps after it, we can also introduce you to other professionals, such as accountants, agents, or financial advisers, ensuring you have comprehensive support at every stage.