Halvorsen Bell

Deals & Acquisitions

A sale or purchase is often the largest decision an owner makes. We keep the process organised, the documents readable and the timeline realistic from first offer to close.

Plan your purchase or sale with fewer surprises

Deals slow down when information arrives late. We build one shared checklist at the letter of intent stage, assign each item an owner and report progress weekly. Everyone sees the same list, which keeps accountants, bankers and both sides working from one page.

Before the letter of intent

The terms you accept in a two-page letter often decide the tone of the next ninety days. It pays to read it carefully.

We review price structure, exclusivity, earn-outs and working capital targets before you sign anything.

Sellers benefit from preparing early. A quiet pre-sale review of contracts, leases and ownership records finds issues while there is time to fix them. Buyers pay more readily for a company whose paperwork is already in order, and closing dates slip less often.

Tax structure matters as much as price. Asset sales and stock sales produce very different results for each side, so our tax counsel models the options with your accountant before terms are fixed.

Deals & Acquisitions: illustrative photograph

Diligence without the chaos

A well organised data room answers most buyer questions before they are asked, and it shows the business is run with care.

We set up the diligence folders and review what goes in, so sensitive items are shared at the right stage.

On the buy side, we read what the seller provides and turn it into a short findings memo: what is normal, what needs a specific promise in the agreement, and what might change the price or the structure.

Closing and the first months after

Signing is not the end; transition terms decide how the first year feels.

We negotiate transition services, employment terms for key people and the escrow or holdback mechanics, then stay involved through the post-closing adjustments so nothing lingers unresolved into the next year.

Quiet office corner with pale oak cabinets
A single shared checklist keeps every adviser working from the same timeline.

Start with a conversation about timing and goals

Every transaction begins with a planning call. Reach us at (555) 214-0386 or through the contact form, and a partner will outline the likely timeline and fee range.

Deal Examples

Transactions of different sizes and shapes from recent years. Illustrative examples only; past results do not predict future outcomes.

Stepped art deco tower rising above a hazy city at dusk
$18,400,000
Family business sale

Guided a third-generation manufacturer through the sale of its operating company to a regional buyer, with a two-year transition plan for staff and key customers.

Red brick office block beside a glass residential tower
$6,750,000
Route acquisition

Represented a growing freight company buying a competitor's routes, trucks and contracts, with staged payments tied to customer retention over two years.

Domed civic building behind a curving steel footbridge
$2,300,000
Brand licence

Negotiated a multi-year licence for a regional food brand's recipes and trademark, keeping quality control, approval of new products and audit rights with our client.

Your Deal Team

Transactions are staffed by a partner and an associate who stay with the file from letter of intent through the final adjustment.

Portrait of Erik Bell

Erik Bell

Partner
Portrait of Marcus Doyle

Marcus Doyle

Associate Attorney
Portrait of Ingrid Halvorsen

Ingrid Halvorsen

Founding Partner
Portrait of Raj Mehta

Raj Mehta

Of Counsel

Plan the Timeline

Thinking about buying or selling a company in the next two years? A short planning call now often saves months of work once a buyer or seller appears.

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