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May 1, 201906477000
Drafting Preliminary Agreements
A confidentiality agreement (“Confidentiality Agreement”), also sometimes called a non- disclosure agreement (“NDA”), is typically the first stage in the due diligence process for an acquisition transaction as parties generally are reluctant to provide confidential information to the other side without having the protection of a confidentiality agreement. After a Confidentiality Agreement is in place, the parties exchange information and proceed to negotiate the terms of a transaction. If the negotiations are successfully completed, the parties may enter into a letter of intent. While the parties initially intend that a letter of intent does not bind the parties to proceed with a transaction, disputes often arise as to whether and to what extent the parties are contractually bound.
March 28, 202106477000
Non-Disclosure and Other Preliminary Agreements in Business Transactions
A Confidentiality Agreement (also sometimes referred to as an Non-Disclosure Agreement) is typically the first stage for the due diligence process in a transaction. These agreements can effectively act as a standstill agreement and can take many different approaches including disclaiming reliance or being non-binding. Letters of Intent are an intermediate step between NDAs and definitive binding agreements. The Texas Supreme Court’s opinion in Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. v. Enterprise Products Partners, L.P. makes clear that Texas embraces the principles of freedom of contract among sophisticated businesses, and that they can trust that their legal documents will be enforced as written. This means that in Texas companies can rely on conditions precedent to avoid an unintended partnership or joint venture, and those conditions precedent can be set forth in a confidentiality agreement, letter of intent or other preliminary agreement. This article includes a seller oriented confidentiality agreement and letter of intent.
May 18, 2017Byron F. Egan
Choice of Entity and Acquisition Structure Decision Tree
These are the presentation slides.
May 21, 2016Byron F. Egan
Acquisition Structure Decision Tree
Buying or selling a closely held business, including the purchase of a division or a subsidiary, can be structured as (i) a statutory combination such as a statutory merger or share exchange, (ii) a negotiated purchase of outstanding stock from existing shareholders or (iii) a purchase of assets from the business. The transaction typically revolves around an agreement between the buyer and the selling entity, and sometimes its owners, setting forth the terms of the deal.
May 17, 2015Byron F. Egan
Acquisition Structure Decision Tree
Buying or selling a closely held business, including the purchase of a division or a subsidiary, can be structured as (i) a statutory combination such as a statutory merger or share exchange, (ii) a negotiated purchase of outstanding stock from existing shareholders or (iii) a purchase of assets from the business. The transaction typically revolves around an agreement between the buyer and the selling entity, and sometimes its owners, setting forth the terms of the deal.
May 25, 2013Byron Egan
Acquisition Structure Decision Tree
Buying or selling a closely held business, including the purchase of a division or a subsidiary, can be structured as (i) a statutory combination such as a statutory merger or share exchange, (ii) a negotiated purchase of outstanding stock from existing shareholders or (iii) a purchase of assets from the business.1 The transaction typically revolves around an agreement between the buyer and the selling entity, and sometimes its owners, setting forth the terms of the deal. Purchases of assets are characterized by the acquisition by the buyer of specified assets from an entity, which may or may not represent all or substantially all of its assets, and the assumption by the buyer of specified liabilities of the seller, which typically do not represent all of the liabilities of the seller.2 When the parties choose to structure an acquisition as an asset purchase, there are unique drafting and negotiating issues regarding the specification of which assets and liabilities are transferred to the buyer, as well as the representations, closing conditions, indemnification and other provisions essential to memorializing the bargain reached by the parties. There are also statutory (e.g., bulk sales and fraudulent transfer statutes) and common law issues (e.g., de facto merger and other successor liability theories) unique to asset purchase transactions that could result in an asset purchaser being held liable for liabilities of the seller which it did not agree to assume.
May 26, 2012Byron F. Egan
Acquisition Structure Decision Tree
Buying or selling a closely held business, including the purchase of a division or a subsidiary, can be structured as (i) a statutory combination such as a statutory merger or share exchange, (ii) a negotiated purchase of outstanding stock from existing shareholders or (iii) a purchase of assets from the business. The transaction typically revolves around an agreement between the buyer and the selling entity, and sometimes its owners, setting forth the terms of the deal.
May 11, 2012Kenneth L. Wenzel, David P. Dunning, Dustin G. Willey, Michael V. Bourland
What You Need to Know About Estate Tax Law in Order to Sell a Family-Owned Business, Purchase and Sale of Closely Held Companies
One of the most critical times in a client’s life is when he or she is selling the business they have spent years building. At the same time, the client who is in a growth and expansion mode also views clean, successful acquisitions as the key to his or her growth strategy. This article is intended to provide an outline to the practitioners of the basic steps in the acquisition or sale of a privately-held business with references to key issues at each stage of the process.
October 22, 2010Byron F. Egan
Merger & Acquisitions
Buying or selling a business in Texas, including the purchase of a division or a subsidiary, revolves around a purchase agreement between the buyer and the selling entity and sometimes its owners. Purchases of assets are characterized by the acquisition by the buyer of specified assets from an entity, which may or may not represent all or substantially all of its assets, and the assumption by the buyer of specified liabilities of the seller, which typically do not represent all of the liabilities of the seller. When the parties choose to structure an acquisition as an asset purchase, there are unique drafting and negotiating issues regarding the specification of which assets and liabilities are transferred to the buyer, as well as the representations, closing conditions, indemnification and other provisions essential to memorializing the bargain reached by the parties. There are also statutory (e.g., bulk sales and fraudulent transfer statutes) and common law issues (e.g., de facto merger and other successor liability theories) unique to asset purchase transactions that could result in an asset purchaser being held liable for liabilities of the seller which it did not agree to assume.