top of page
Search
Start Your Business
Posts about legal issues related to starting a small business


How Firm Are Closing Dates?
When you buy or sell a small business, your letter of intent and purchase agreement will typically establish a closing date - a specific...
Joel Ankney
May 15, 20232 min read
54 views
0 comments


What Does a Lawyer Do in an SMB M&A Transaction?
Buyers and sellers of small businesses often ask me what I will do for them if they engage me to represent them in the transaction. I...
Joel Ankney
Jan 23, 20232 min read
90 views
0 comments


Can I Get Paid If We Don't Close?
Sellers often ask if they can get their costs and expenses (e.g., accountant's fees, attorney's fees, etc.) paid or reimbursed if the...
Joel Ankney
Oct 1, 20222 min read
42 views
0 comments


Are Letters of Intent Binding?
Yes and no. Some provisions in a letter of intent should be binding, while others should not, and the letter of intent should clearly...
Joel Ankney
Apr 28, 20221 min read
37 views
0 comments


Do I Need a Letter of Intent?
Most of the deals I close use a Letter of Intent (LOI). Technically, the law does not require you to use an LOI, but here are some things...
Joel Ankney
Feb 1, 20223 min read
189 views
0 comments


Purchase Price Doesn't Determine Legal Fees
You might think that the lower the purchase price of a business or real estate, the lower the legal fees. In other words, you might...
Joel Ankney
Dec 29, 20211 min read
19 views
0 comments


3 Tips for Confidentiality Agreements
You might be asked to sign a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement if you are exploring the purchase or sale of a business, a joint...
Joel Ankney
Nov 16, 20212 min read
39 views
0 comments


Which State to Use for Your LLC or Corporation?
You may hear and see a lot of trendy advice about creating your LLC or corporation in a state where your business is not located, like...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
89 views
0 comments


What You Should Know About Registered Agents
I serve as a Registered Agent for many Virginia limited liability companies and corporations. I'm often asked the following questions...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20214 min read
626 views
0 comments


Teaser: M & A Unplugged Podcast Interview
Last week, Domenic Rinaldi interviewed me about my book, Here's the Deal: Everything You Wish a Lawyer Would Tell You About Buying a...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20211 min read
26 views
0 comments


How a Checklist Can Help Your Deal
Deals have lots of moving parts, no matter the size of the business or the size of the deal. Lots of issues move simultaneously. Losing...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
31 views
0 comments


What's a Russian Roulette Deadlock Clause?
If your LLC or corporation has two or more owners, you can get stuck (deadlocked) on making a decision or taking action if no one has...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
2,649 views
0 comments


Can You Buy (or Sell) That Contract?
Are contracts a valuable asset of the business you are buying or selling? If so, you need to make sure those contacts can be transferred...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20211 min read
40 views
0 comments


My Book is a Business School Text
This is my most exciting book news to date. The University of Illinois business school is using my book as a text in its Entrepreneurship...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20211 min read
16 views
0 comments


Where Do Entrepreneurs Get the Money to Buy a Business?
One of the biggest challenges for an entrepreneur is finding the money to do a deal. I spoke to the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20213 min read
41 views
0 comments


Do I Need Originals?
When you sign a contract, do you need to have an "original" - i.e., one contract with the original signatures of all the parties - for it...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
1,249 views
0 comments


Do Your Company's Legal Documents Support Your Special Status?
Have you set up your company to qualify for a special status, such as a women-, veteran-, or minority-owned business? If so, do your...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
6 views
0 comments


Do the Exhibits Really Matter?
Lawyers often draft contracts with attached exhibits to simplify the contract language by moving details out of the body of the contract...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20211 min read
679 views
0 comments


The Custom and Courtesy of Blacklining
I was working on my first deal as a young lawyer. I represented the buyer. The lawyer representing the seller drafted the purchase...
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
533 views
0 comments


When Will the Deal Close?
You're buying a business or real estate. Your purchase agreement says you're going to close on a particular date. You probably won't....
Joel Ankney
Mar 13, 20212 min read
14 views
0 comments
bottom of page