Here’s a story with a moral for anyone who plans or decides to buy a business, and it’s all about going with the conventional approach. You know us–at Calkins Law Firm we’re ready and willing to break with convention when it’s in the best interest of our clients. But sometimes the strength in having contrary…

Are you searching for a manufacturing company? If so, there are several things you need to know before buying a manufacturing business. Before you make a bid to purchase a manufacturing business, conduct due diligence and keep these seven key factors in mind. 1.  Are You Paying a Fair Price for Equipment and Machinery? The company’s machinery…

When we are retained by a client and involved in a matter, our approach is always the same: whatever it takes, we do it in service of our client. We don’t stand on protocol, we don’t make excuses or complain, instead we roll up our sleeves and we do whatever the client needs. These could…

Here at Calkins Law Firm, we work hard for our clients. In general, we like our clients to be well informed before they make decisions regarding business law matters. So we will go to great lengths to inform our clients about the risks and the opportunities in what they are contemplating. We also feel strongly…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the global economy, it is time for business owners to consider the effects which the virus may be having on existing contractual promises. Some providers of goods and services may be temporarily or permanently unable to do so due to the coronavirus situation. Previously-made agreements, such as those…

Over our years of practice we’ve seen cases that run the gamut in cost investments. Some clients have the funds to sink a cool million into due diligence. Others have much less. Clearly, the amount that we receive dictates the time and efforts we can spend. But regardless of our client’s budget, they can all…

Advice for New Business Partnerships I have seen dozens of these scenarios fail. Literally dozens. And the one thing they all have in common are mis-matched expectations. Expectations about who is responsible for what, how the work will get done, and most importantly, who gets to make the final decision on issues. These new business…

When a prospective client contacts us and explains that they have a claim to assert, I will almost invariably recommend and propose that they engage us to prepare a demand letter for submission to the opposing party. As part of the drafting of a demand letter, we first need to learn as much as we…

Market analysts said early on this year that 2021 would be huge for the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). And so far, we’d have to agree. SPACs are basically “shell” or “blank check” companies that exist in the public markets solely to raise investor funds and then acquire existing private companies. A SPAC then becomes…

It’s tempting to think that only major, drastic changes to your lifestyle can make any significant difference to your health, but that’s not the case. In fact, not only can small changes add up to a distinct shift in your wellbeing, but you’re also more likely to stick to them. Try integrating these small tweaks…

Have you heard the tale of the experienced lawyer who stayed up through the night doing legal research before a trial? In his desire to be thorough, this diligent legal professional ended up stumbling upon a case that provided just the support he needed for his argument.  He was able to make a powerful case…

Business plans are critically important to the success of any and all businesses NOT DESPITE THE FACT that they will need to be repeatedly or continuously reviewed and rewritten, BUT BECAUSE THEY WILL be repeatedly and continuously reviewed and rewritten, keeping the underlying business subject to examination and inquiry. I have been working on a business plan over the…

When potential business owners are looking to buy, their glasses are often rose-tinted. They are determined to carry out every part of the search for a prospect on their own and probably underestimate how long it might take to find an ideal candidate.  A key example is a first time business buyer who I’ve been…

Breaking It Down: The Eighth of the Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions Our Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions has been so popular that we have decided to break it down. To briefly discuss each of the Ten Commandments, and its import and impact. The Eighth Commandment: “Offer a Fair Price” A prospective buyer should attempt…

Breaking It Down: The Seventh of the Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions Our Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions has been so popular that we have decided to break it down. To briefly discuss each of the Ten Commandments, and its import and impact. After a brief break to spotlight current events at the Center for Free…

Breaking It Down: The Sixth of the Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions Our Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions has been so popular that we have decided to break it down. To briefly discuss each of the Ten Commandments, and its import and impact. The Sixth commandment: “Don’t Openly Criticize Your Acquisition Target” Many prospective buyers…

Breaking It Down: The Second of the Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions Our Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions has been so popular that we have decided to break it down. To briefly discuss each of the Ten Commandments and its import and impact. The second commandment: “Play ball in your own league.” As I explained…

Breaking It Down: The First of the Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions Our Ten Commandments of Business Acquisitions has been so popular that we have decided to break it down. To briefly discuss each of the Ten Commandments and its import and impact. The first commandment: “Understand your goals for the acquisition.” Begin with the…

We recently suggested to an acquaintance that they retain us to represent them in a suit that was brought against them. They took us up on the offer and were able to take advantage of our deep expertise, vast experience, and unsurpassed service. And for a top-notch law firm, they found us to be surprisingly…

This is a question we hear from business owners who have been approached about the possibility of selling their business. Prospective sellers are always concerned about selling at a satisfactory price and on satisfactory terms and conditions. Business sales and purchases take a fairly standard and logical step by step approach. We have guided many…

Defining Threats So, what are spoofers? They can assume many personas, but what we’ve seen is that these criminals will often pose as legitimate creditors. They then gain access to your email account and attempt to misdirect cash from the accounts of actual creditors who are owed money by your business. Anything they poach goes…

The Lowdown First off, let’s be clear – these are sensitive topics and aren’t thoughts that anyone likes to linger on. But a little planning now can have a huge impact on our family’s future, and that is worth talking about. So, just what is estate planning? Well, once we either aren’t around, or for…

When we work with a client who plans to buy a business, we are always upfront with our suggestions. And we will never encourage procrastination. Instead, we’d rather see them go after their goals, find the acquisition opportunity, and move ahead with closing the purchase. Ensuring that everything checks out in the deal, there is…

Despite the common depictions on serial television shows, many legal battles don’t end up in court. In general, neither we nor our clients want to see excessive amounts of time and treasure consumed by prolonged litigation. But the fact that a trial isn’t the goal doesn’t change how we work. Whether we aim to proceed…

Too many businesses ignore the importance of business contracts as a way to protect their company from liability and risk. Suing a business for negligence is harder when the business uses well-drafted business contracts. To protect your business, work with a business contract attorney to develop agreements and contracts that are aligned with business contract…

You read that right. When it comes to attorneys, “more better” is actually a thing. Let me explain. We get inquiries all the time from prospective clients with legal issues and problems to address and resolve.   These queries arrive via email and telephone calls from here, there, and everywhere. When we first launched CLF, we…

The volume and value of disclosed U.S. Mergers and Acquisitions deals declined compared to Q1 2015, but the number of deals closed marked the third highest Q1 in the last 7 years. IPO activity also dried up in the first quarter, where only 8 companies raised approximately $700 million in capital, compared to 32 companies…

Here at Calkins Law Firm, our seasoned business attorneys readily know the answers to many, if not most, of the legal questions and issues we encounter. That’s the natural result of diligence and experience. But from time to time, even our resident experts find that legal research can be invaluable and well worth the (often…

At Calkins Law Firm, we certainly know how to “put up a good fight” and to put our client’s best case forward in commercial litigation matters. Effectively understanding contested issues, marshalling evidence, and then presenting the client’s case is more than half of the battle in commercial litigation. But one has to ask whether full-blown commercial litigation-fighting…

This Week: Three Articles on Buy/Sell and Divestiture Business Valuation Business Valuation Approaches There are three generally accepted Approaches to value which can be used to value almost any asset: businesses, real estate, vehicles, personal property, etc. The three most common Approaches are: The Asset Approach, The Income Approach; and The Market Approach. READ ABOUT…