Buying – Selling – Business in Orange County?
Buying selling business – You will benefit from speaking with an experienced Orange County attorney who is familiar with the ins and out of buying a business or selling a business.
Valerie L. Kramer has years of experience representing clients who with sold a business and suddenly the purchaser stops making payments or are suing the seller because the new owner is not getting the cash flow that the seller was enjoying.
Business attorney Kramer has also represented client who purchased a business and then found that the books income and cash flows were misrepresented, inflated or outright falsified.
It is Common for Business Buy/Sell Deals to Go South
Years of relevant experience can be helpful to share with you. Even a free phone consultation might help you to anticipate future problems and plan for them. Then, should the worst happen, you will have essentially ‘rehearsed” these common scenarios and will be better able to deal with them or prevail.
Valerie L. Kramer is available to provide buyers of businesses professional representation and knowledgeable counsel to make the process smother and more profitable while pigeonholing shielding you from nasty tangents that so often occur post purchase. She is likewise accessible to help sellers of businesses sidestep the minefield they have little clue they are walking into. Buying or selling – you can do a great deal to protect yourself by engaging a business law attorney before you finalize your upcoming deal.
Representing Buyers AND Sellers of Businesses
Buying Selling a Business – We advise clients on either side of the sale of a business in Orange County, making sure their rights in the transaction are fully protected and the most common post-sale pitfalls are discussed and firewalls in place to protect you even better.
Unfortunately, many buyers and sellers drive down to their local Staples to grab whatever form says “Business Purchase Contract” on it. We understand. People do this to save the expense of an attorney. Unfortunately, that is short sighted considering the money that is likely on the table. The courts are often the end destination of such hasty deals. An off the shelf one-size-fits-all ‘legal form’ always manages to not cover the very specific elements of your purchase or sale. In the end, your own personal and financial interests may be overlooked or compromised. The cost of doing a purchase or sale of a business correctly is a small cost when you consider the long picture. Lawyers phones ring off the hook from people who confess: “If I had it to do over again, of course, I would have done ____ and ____.”
Fully Understanding the Business Under Consideration
It is essential that you fully understand the business that you are considering purchasing. As prospective buyer, you need to understand all aspects of the business, including any ongoing problems or future potential issues. We’ve witnessed pending business sales where sellers are less than forthright in their motivation for selling.
Two Examples:
- A seller of a busy accounting and tax preparation business – who (secretly) knew that two former employees were seeking a wrongful termination attorney to file a lawsuit for years of missed breaks and lunches. These two had been fired for “retaliation” for speaking out to the labor board. The issue was unresolved, and it was a potential legal mess. That mess could have resulted in a huge lawsuit that would be the corporation’s problem and the problem of the new corporate officers. Such a lawsuit based on state and Federal statutes could easily seek $330,000+ settlement.
- A seller of a business was selling his very profitable franchise – that did roof inspections during the escrow process for homeowners selling their homes in California. What wasn’t shared was that all the homes that required the roof inspection for a reverse mortgage, were no longer going to require them in 14-months (a huge percentage of the existing sales). The price of the business, based on inspection sales, given a new business environment on the horizon was overpriced and possibly misrepresented. It was very likely that the schedule of payments could not be met following the purchase due to a potential future decline of inspection requests. That’s exactly what happened.
We Can Help You Investigate the Businesses’ Value & Sustainability
One man’s profit is another man’s loss – In many business purchase opportunities, there may be pitfalls that may outweigh the future potential value and ability to generate a profit. Pursuing such a business opportunity may not be in your best interest. We can help you draft or review a purchase agreement and any other agreements the business you’re considering for purchase is party to. Pending and potential litigation actions, corporate records, security interests, business, revolving and real estate loans can be reviewed to determine the real viability of the business you are considering from a thorough legal perspective.
Call Valerie L. Kramer for a Free Phone Consultation
Contact Valerie L. Kramer at (714) 395-5669 whether your business is in Orange County, Los Angeles, or Riverside, she can provide you with experienced legal services you require to buy, sell, or keep your business protected and thriving. We are dedicated to helping Orange County business owners make educated, informed decisions about their business endeavors and opportunities.