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Start Strong
Entity Creation & Key Contracts
Joel will help you determine whether you need an LLC or corporation, then set up that entity for you. He will also answer any legal questions you may have about starting your business. In addition, he will identify and draft essential contracts for your new business needs. Joel has helped founders launch hundreds of businesses, including consultants, freelancers, construction trades, retail, online, healthcare, real estate, and service businesses.
Acquire Confidently
Business Acquisitions
Joel navigates your deal from Letter of Intent to Closing, including legal due diligence, drafting, reviewing, and negotiating the Purchase Agreement and ancillary closing documents, as well as managing relationships with brokers, sellers, opposing counsel, and lenders. He is a nationally recognized authority on the purchase and sale of small businesses. He has closed deals with purchase prices of $5 million or less for hundreds of clients in a wide variety of industries, many of which were financed by a combination of SBA loans and seller financing.
Operate Smart
Contracts, Leases, Governance, Compliance, Disputes
Small businesses regularly need help with legal issues as they operate, but typically cannot afford to have an attorney on staff full-time. Joel acts as a fractional outside counsel to Virginia businesses to help with drafting, reviewing, and negotiating key contracts; advising on legal compliance and business breakups; and resolving internal disputes among owners and disputes with suppliers, vendors, and customers.
Exit Smoothly
Business Sale, Business Breakup, Generational Transfer
Joel has helped clients close hundreds of sales of assets and equity in diverse industries. He has represented sellers in deals to private equity firms and traditional search funds with purchase prices as high as $20 million. He will help you identify and assess the risks associated with exiting your business. Joel will guide you through your exit by helping you negotiate, draft, and review all transaction documents, from the Letter of Intent to the Purchase Agreement to the ancillary closing documents. He will help you respond to legal due diligence, advise you on deal structure, help you draft disclosure schedules, and assist you with providing seller-financing to your buyer. Joel will manage the deal process for you.
CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS AND OUTCOME
Starting, Acquiring, Operating, and Exiting a business are processes, not events.
Unfamiliarity with how to navigate any of these processes can
cost you time and money and expose you to risks.
Joel uses his 30+ years of experience working on thousands of projects
for small business owners to guide you through each of these processes
in a manner that gives you confidence that your interests have been protected.
ATTORNEY
JOEL ANKNEY
BUSINESS LAWYER
Tel: 757.270.4088
Joel graduated first in his class from law school, then practiced for 12 years at some of the nation's largest law firms. Joel started his own law firm in 2003 to represent small businesses in a more economical and efficient manner.
He is the author of three books which can help entrepreneurs start, acquire, operate, and exit their businesses.
Joel has guest lectured at leading business schools and on numerous podcasts about the process of buying or selling a small business.
With more than 30 years of experience helping business owners start, acquire, operate, and exit their businesses, Joel focuses on strategies that
de-escalate tense negotiations and get your project done and your deal closed.
Connect with Joel on LinkedIn
BOOKS
EDUCATION
J.D., William & Mary Law School, 1991
B.S., Organizational Psychology, Brigham Young University, 1987
TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
Collaborative Law Certificate
Basic Mediation and Process Skills
BAR ADMISSION
Virginia, 1991
RECOGNITIONS
Panelist, Southeast Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Conference
Guest Speaker, New Majority Capital
Guest Speaker, UVA Darden School of Business
Guest Speaker, William & Mary Entrepreneurship Hub
Guest Speaker, Columbia Business School ETA Class
Guest Speaker, Gies College of Business ETA Class
Virginia Elite Attorney, Business Law
Coastal Virginia Top Attorney, Business Law
Order of the Coif
William & Mary Law Review
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CONTACT
ANKNEY LAW
OUR ADDRESS
249 Central Park Ave., Ste. 300, Box 43, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Email: joel@jalawoffice.com
Tel: 757.270.4088
For any general inquiries, please fill in the following contact form:
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