New Illinois Bar Video On Buying And Selling A Business

The Illinois State Bar Association just posted a video with me talking about the documents you need to negotiate in the course of buying or selling a business, from the initial nondisclosure/noncircumvent that allows buyers and sellers to exchange confidential information to the term sheet which outlines their deal to the final sales contract (with…

Exit Plans Do Not Always Require A Sale

Exit Plans Do Not Always Require A Sale So what else can you do besides selling? What constitutes a successful business exit? A few examples, which does not need to include selling everything to strangers as part of your plan: All in the family: The Tuttle family, of Dover, New Hampshire, kept a dairy operation…

Bad Things Happen To Undocumented Business People

If you don’t take care of those who depend on you, bad things (often involving lawyers) tend to happen: A promise is not a will:  Charles Kuralt, the TV commentator, lived with Patricia Elizabeth Shannon for 29 years, many on 90 acres of Montana land with a renovated schoolhouse and a view. He sent her…

Should You Avoid Probate?

  A lot of lawyers sell four or five thousand dollar will and trust packages that might avoid probate court processes for clients who would be better off with a court looking over their child or other adviser’s shoulder to make sure estate administration is prompt and fair. Illinois law now allows transfer by affidavit,…

Record Level Of Venture Investments In China

Venture capital investments in China reached $15.3 billion during 2015, significantly higher than the previous high of $7.3 billion in 2011. Mobile device deals predominated, with an average of $9.8 million per deal. Exits have also seen growth, with 61 deals raising $7.2 billion of venture backed company IPO’s in China in 2014, the last…

Business Issues In Estate Administration

Just delivered a talk to the DuPage County Bar Association on family business issues in estate disputes. Reminded those present that most buy-sell agreements are not funded with “Key Man” insurance, that most spouses and children are incompetent to manage the business but want money, and that even rich people like the Wrigleys and the…