Business Law Advice for the Sale or Purchase of a Business in Queensland
Small Business Legal Advice
Are you looking to partner with a lawyer who will be there at all stages of your small business journey?
Carolyn Ryder is an experienced commercial and small business lawyer, and a family business owner herself. She has first-hand knowledge of the challenges small businesses face during establishment, growth and succession. Her parents established a reputable commercial and industrial electrical contracting business in their home garage, which has now grown to a multi-million dollar business completing projects both in Australia and overseas. Carolyn is the Director of Ryder Lawyers and a Director of a family farming enterprise, Moreton Bay Rock Oysters, at Kooringal on Moreton Island. She bring legal smarts and commercial understanding to your corner.
Starting a Business
We partner with your financial advisors to help you decide on the business structure that works for you.
If you are forming a company, and have business partners, we can help you negotiate a Shareholder’s Agreement that ensures the smooth exit of a partner if their circumstances change (including Buy/Sell Agreements where life insurance products are employed to support the transition of business partners in the event of an unexpected death or accident). We can also assist you with negotiating Partnership Agreements and understanding trust arrangements that might already be in place for you.
Buying or Selling a Business - Asset Sale Agreement
We partner with your financial advisors to ensure a smooth transition into, or out of, a business involving the sale of assets. The assets sold will include the goodwill (including business name and intellectual property), stock, customer database, plant and equipment and transition of key employees. We assist our clients with robust due diligence investigations, contract negotiations and complex legal drafting. Often, many weeks can be invested in the negotiation stage, making sure the deal reflects both the Seller and the Buyer’s expectations. After the Contract is signed, we work closely with you to complete any remaining due diligence investigations, ensure unencumbered title, transition commercial leases (including lease amendments and negotiations), complete stocktakes and arrange employee transition. We ensure you obtain clear title and take over a business that is ready to operate for you, from the time of settlement. After settlement, we are available to our clients to assist with issues that arise in their small business, including human resources/employee issues and issues with suppliers.
Buying or Selling a Business - Share Sale Agreement
We can assist with the sale or purchase of shares in private, unlisted small business Australian companies. Our legal services include due diligence (in conjunction with your financial advisors), negotiation and drafting of Share Sale Agreements, preparation for settlement including notices of meeting and company records and attending the settlement with you. Benefit from our commonsense commercial advice, high level legal drafting skills and practical skills at the settlement table. We are adaptable, and can provide you with the timely advice you need to keep your deal on track. Benefit from our network of referral partners who can help you with your ongoing business needs for accounting and financial advice, telecommunications advice, electrical services, business coaching, real estate and more.
Industries we serve
We work with a range of small business clients from a variety of industries. We enjoy learning about new businesses and industries and getting to know our client’s business stories. We have worked with clients for the sale and purchase of businesses including:
- Purchase of a regional, branded supermarket
- Sale of a pet daycare business (large scale)
- Purchase of a dental practice
- Purchase of a Hobby Retail Store
- Sale of an online motor vehicle parts business to an interstate buyer
- Establishment of an Occupational Therapy Business
- Sale of shares in a marine service business
- Establishment of a bricks and mortar pet store
- Purchase of a local hair salon
- Goodwill transfers for pre-retirement structuring
- Purchase and Sale of a Franchised Signwriting/Print Business
- Purchase of a Franchised Gym
- Purchase of a cafe
- Purchase of a bridal store
- Sale of a childcare centre business
- Purchase of pet boarding business
- Sale of a commercial dry cleaning business
- Purchase of shares in a retail/fashion business
- Sale of mobile roadworthy business
- Purchase of wholesale hairdressing supply business
- Purchase of veterinary surgery and associated freehold land
- Purchase of key-cutting, shoe repair retail shopfront
Do you have a legal matter? Book in for a 15 minute phone call
Meet with our team on a quick and friendly call. Let’s see if we can work together,
