Grand Rapids
Mergers & Acquisitions

Providing counsel and assistance to businesses, small and large

Experienced Counsel

Guiding participants through merging, reorganizing or acquiring a business.

LEDFORD & ASSOCIATES

For Over 20 Years

For over 20 years, Ledford & Associates merger and acquisition attorneys have provided counsel and assistance to businesses, small and large, in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, through document preparation and review, closing services, funds distribution and escrow services and overall supervision and facilitation of the merger or acquisition process.

The complexity of these transactions and their time-intensive nature requires expertise from several areas of the law, led by experienced merger and acquisition counsel who can coordinate the transaction team's efforts.

A knowledgeable business law attorney can guide participants through merging, reorganizing or acquiring a business. At Ledford & Associates, our Grand Rapids lawyers help clients achieve their goals with a merger or acquisition. We work closely with clients to understand their intentions and structure the transaction to help them achieve their objectives as fully as possible.

Concluding a successful merger or acquisition involves many steps.

Our lawyers undertake all processes required for a merger or acquisition, including:

Negotiating and preparing buy-sell agreements
Drafting of proposals and bids
Drafting letters of intent and nondisclosure agreements
Understanding the tax implications of a merger or acquisition and structuring for tax planning
Asset purchases
Undertaking due diligence

Mergers & Acquisitions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Merger?

A merger, by definition, is any of various methods of combining two or more organizations. When different companies combine into one company, for whatever reason, this is a “merger”. Typically, both companies in a merger are equal partners in the newly formed enterprise.

What is an Acquisition?

An acquisition happens when one company purchases another business and brings it into its operations. Unlike a merger, the two companies will not be equal partners in the new enterprise, as one company in effect “acquires” the other.

Will a Merger & Acquisition Attorney Negotiate for me?

A Merger & Acquisition Attorney should have significant experience negotiating on behalf of his or her clients in a business environment. This experience aids the attorney’s client by prioritizing and determining the issues most important both to the client as well as to the transaction, what information needs to be gathered from each party, and in decisions on options that can assist the parties to move forward during negotiations.

What else can a Merger & Acquisition Attorney do?

A good Merger & Acquisition Attorney knows people who can help with a merger or an acquisition process. Not only are there contracts to negotiate and laws that must be followed, other parties such as commercial brokers, accountants, financial officers, and business development experts may be needed to make sure every detail is taken care of correctly.

What Information can be Shared About a Merger or Acquisition Publicly?

Generally, most merger or acquisition negotiations are kept completely confidential, especially where the target company is a closely held corporation or limited liability company. However, with the parties’ permission, or at their request, the information that might be shared publicly about a merger or acquisition could include the names of the companies involved in the transaction, some limited terms of the deal, the expected closing date, and sometimes the name of the commercial broker or financial advisor that advised on the transaction. Additional information, such as the strategic rationale for the deal, the expected benefits to shareholders, and the structure of the transaction may also be made public as part of the parties’ marketing efforts once the transaction is completed.

Are the contracts/purchase orders we have in place still valid after a Merger or Acquisition?

It depends on the specific terms of the contracts/purchase orders in question. Often, however, in an acquisition, the company acquiring the target company or its assets will negotiate with the target company as to each contract or purchase order that may be approved. In many cases, while the purchase orders may remain valid, every other contract obligation may be approved, if at all, on only a case-by-case basis. It is often the case, in an acquisition, where only a company’s assets are being acquired, that the purchasing company refuses to approve or accept any liabilities or obligations of the selling company, leaving the selling company to pay off its existing liabilities and obligations out of the proceeds of the sale.

If you would like to learn more about mergers and acquisitions, call our office directly at
(616) 257-3300
to speak with us today!

Grand Rapids Mergers & Acquisitions