Culhane Meadows’ partners Alicia Locheed Goodrow and Tracy Green Landauer of Houston and New York offices, respectively, recently co-authored an article for New York Law Journal about preparing for the sale of a family-owned business.
Here are a few excerpts from the article:
Along with the usual issues in mergers and acquisitions, the sale of a family business requires the management team and their lawyers to navigate family dynamics, unpack complex ownership structures, and deal with long-neglected legal issues. At each step, they must address both income and estate taxes in an ever-changing regulatory environment. The best results occur when the owners assemble a team of trusted, professional advisors who work collaboratively throughout the pre-sale process as well as during the transaction.
Often the trusted legal advisor to a family-owned business is the best “quarterback.” He or she may be a skilled transactional generalist who rarely sees exit transactions and may or may not have any insight into the family’s estate planning strategies. But regardless of the trusted lawyer’s background, the family’s confidence makes him or her a key player on the interdisciplinary team of advisors. That lawyer’s history with the owners can be the best recipe for a successful transition as long as there is a clear understanding of the business goals and family dynamics, and an effort to communicate these key issues to the other specialists.
This article will help the trusted lawyer frame issues for the family and consider what specialty outside advisors should be added as key players on the team.
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Good legal leadership in the sale of family-owned companies is a multi-disciplinary exercise requiring a strong, trusted quarterback who understands the family dynamics and a team of specialists in tax, estate tax, securities law, employment law, and other disciplines. Navigating personalities, politics, and one or more generations’ worth of legal neglect makes these projects fascinating and challenging legal projects. Help your client begin with the end in mind and assemble a talented team of advisors and you will succeed as a counselor and not just a lawyer.
Read their entire article HERE to learn more.
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The foregoing content is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Federal, state, and local laws can change rapidly and, therefore, this content may become obsolete or outdated. Please consult with an attorney of your choice to ensure you obtain the most current and accurate counsel about your particular situation.
