BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS
Contracts, ownership and transactions for California businesses
Business decisions become legal commitments through the documents that support them. Based in San Francisco, RV Litigation Group PC advises businesses and owners throughout California on commercial contracts, ownership arrangements and purchases or sales of a business. We focus on how the terms will operate, the risks they allocate and the steps needed to carry the transaction through.
PRACTICE AREAS
Business Transactions Services
Business Contracts
Drafting, review and negotiation of customer, vendor and other commercial agreements.
Ownership & Operating Agreements
Operating, shareholder and partnership agreements that address control, economics and exits.
Business Purchases & Sales
Legal diligence, purchase agreements and closing support for business buyers and sellers.
Commercial Lease Agreements
Negotiation, review, renewals and assignments for business premises.
Confidentiality & Nondisclosure Agreements
NDAs for business negotiations, commercial relationships and sale diligence.
Business Buyouts & Owner Exits
Negotiated ownership transfers, redemption terms and business transitions.
OUR APPROACH
Practical Counsel Before the Commitment
A transaction can create obligations long before the final signature. A letter of intent, a proposed ownership change or a customer’s standard form may affect the choices still available to the business. Early review helps identify the decisions that deserve attention while there is room to negotiate.
Our transaction work connects legal drafting to the client’s commercial priorities. We help identify who must approve the deal, what information is needed, which obligations continue after closing and how a disagreement would be handled. The scope is tailored to the agreement or transaction rather than built around a one-size-fits-all document.
If the relationship is already contested, our Business Litigation practice can address the dispute. Transaction counsel and dispute counsel serve different stages of the same business relationship.
THE PROCESS
How We Approach Your Matter
Understand the business objective
Review the proposed terms, the parties involved, timing and the commercial outcome the client wants to achieve.
Identify the material legal questions
Evaluate authority, obligations, transaction structure and the information required to make an informed decision.
Draft and negotiate
Translate agreed business terms into workable documents and explain the meaningful tradeoffs in the other side’s proposals.
Complete and implement
Coordinate the legal deliverables within the engagement and identify ongoing obligations, renewal dates and post-closing requirements.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Important Points to Keep in View
Bring the Whole Agreement
Attachments, prior amendments and incorporated terms can change the meaning of the main document.
Identify the Client
The interests of a business, its owners and a transaction counterparty may differ.
Allow Time for Consents
Approvals from owners, lenders, landlords or contracting parties can affect when a deal can close.
Plan Beyond the Signature
Payment, reporting, notice and transition obligations need to work in day-to-day operations.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you assist before we have a final draft?
Yes. A proposed term sheet, letter of intent or outline of the intended arrangement can provide a starting point. Early involvement can help identify the structure and legal questions before the parties commit to terms that are difficult to change.
Do you work with our accountant or other advisers?
Yes, as appropriate to the matter and the agreed representation. Accounting, valuation, financing and tax input may be needed alongside legal drafting. The roles and responsibilities of each adviser should be clear.
What should we bring to the first discussion?
Provide available drafts, existing agreements, the identities of the parties, the business objective and any important dates. For ownership changes or a sale, include relevant entity and ownership records and identify any known dispute or required consent.
Discuss Your Next Business Transaction
Tell our legal team about the proposed transaction, the parties, your role and any signing deadline. We can assess the legal work needed to move the transaction forward.
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