Transactional Law

The practice

Most business problems began as a paragraph nobody read carefully in a document somebody signed years ago. Transactional work happens before anything is broken: drafting the operating agreement, negotiating the M&A purchase agreement, putting buy-sell language in place, and getting the lease right.

The typical transactional client is a business owner about to sign something significant. A deal, a partnership, a sale, a lease, or a financing. They want someone reading the document who is actually representing their side.

Transactional services

• Contract drafting and negotiation. Service agreements, supply contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, and licensing.
• Business formation. LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and joint ventures, including operating agreements and bylaws.
• Mergers and acquisitions. Asset purchases, stock purchases, and business sales from letter of intent through closing.
• Corporate governance. Board resolutions, shareholder agreements, succession planning, and ongoing compliance.
• Commercial lease negotiation. Office, retail, and industrial lease drafting and negotiation.
• Financing and lending. Loan documentation, security agreements, and creditor’s rights.
• Intellectual property agreements. Licensing, assignments, and IP transfer in transaction contexts.
• Employment agreements. Executive contracts, non-competes, non-solicitation provisions, and severance arrangements.
• Buy-sell agreements. Owner exit planning, valuation methodologies, and transfer restrictions.

How deals are worked

• Understand the deal first. Before redlining anything, the firm wants to understand what you are trying to accomplish, who has leverage, and which terms matter. Otherwise the markup is lawyering for the sake of lawyering.
• Push where it counts. The firm negotiates hard on the provisions that matter: indemnification, representations and warranties, and exit provisions. Flexibility on the rest is how deals actually close.
• Draft for the breakup. Contracts get reread when things go wrong. The firm drafts so you are protected when that day comes, not just when everyone is on good terms.
• Coordinate with your other advisors. Your accountant, banker, and tax advisor need to see the same deal the firm sees. We coordinate so the documents line up across the team.

Who we work with

Family-owned businesses, automotive suppliers, real estate developers, contractors, professional services firms, restaurants, and small to mid-sized companies across Metro Detroit. The common thread is owner-operators who want the deal done right without paying for a Big Law deal team.