Law Firm for Buying and Selling Businesses
There are two problems with legal services when it comes to buying or selling a small business.
Traditional Billable Hour Model
The first problem is the traditional billable hour model. A billing model created to sell time, the billable hour has worked well for large companies with the budgets to pay for premium legal support during large transactions. As the demand for these services grew, lawyers have been able to set their rates from $450 per hour to well over $1,000 per hour. However, the billable hour billing model was not created with small businesses in mind. Although it continues to work well for larger companies, it has not served small businesses or low mid-market transactions effectively.
Billable hour rates are fixed and do not adjust to the size of the deal. Whether a transaction is $10 million or $100 million, a lawyer billing by the hour charges the same rate regardless of the size of the transaction. In addition, the billable hour model makes budgeting difficult to predict. The final legal bill becomes unpredictable because it depends on how much time the lawyer spends on the file. If delays or issues arise during the transaction, the fees continue to increase, creating uncertainty, unpredictability, and additional stress for clients. It also makes clients hesitant to call their lawyer, knowing that any action taken on the transaction will increase the final bill.
Unspecialized Law Firms
The second problem is the arbitrary fixed-fee pricing offered by law firms that do not specialize in M&A. Some law firms will agree to a fixed price at the outset of the transaction, however the amounts quoted are often arbitrary and unsupported by a clear methodology. Ten different firms can often quote ten completely different prices, with no explanation of how those numbers were calculated. For example, on a $5 million transaction, one law firm might agree to a flat fee of $10,000, while another law firm will quote a range of $25,000 to $45,000 depending on how long the file may take. Clients have no meaningful way to compare these inconsistent and unrelated prices. Fixed-fee pricing from non-specialized firms is usually based on the lawyer’s intuition or years of experience, leaving clients to trust that the lawyer has the expertise to close the deal, protect their interests, and charge a fair price.
This problem is heightened by the fact that these firms do not dedicate their entire practice to M&A. Small and medium-sized generalist law firms often handle a variety of matters, including family law, real estate, immigration, and others. As a result, their systems, processes, and internal workflows are not designed specifically for the needs of business transactions. This lack of specialization creates inefficiencies and slows down transactions. A lawyer accustomed to handling family law or real estate matters may default to approaches that are inappropriate for M&A. Business acquisitions and sales require a specialized set of skills, including negotiation, practical risk assessment, and awareness of current caselaw. Treating M&A files the same as any other legal matter leads to delays, missteps, and inconsistent service for clients.
Adamian Law Follows a Systematic Approach to Pricing
Adamian Law was created to address these two issues. Our firm is built on two core pillars: a systematic approach to pricing and an exclusive focus on M&A. We follow a three-step systematic pricing method that delivers full transparency and sets legal fees in proportion to the transaction value.
First, we set a minimum and maximum fee range based on the size of your deal to ensure proportionality. A $2 million transaction should not carry the same legal costs as a $20 million one.
Second, we identify the deal-specific factors that affect pricing. This includes the number of locations, sellers, leases, employees, and the scope of due diligence required. Because every transaction is different, we tailor the pricing to reflect the actual work your deal requires.
Third, we clearly define what is included and what is considered extra. The minimum fee covers all standard essentials for most transactions, including the purchase agreement, due diligence, virtual closing, lease review, and employment documents for up to two employees. Your initial consultation and letter of intent are always free, as we want to understand your deal properly before discussing costs.
If either party decides not to proceed with the deal, you receive a partial refund for the work that was not completed. This ensures you are never left with a large legal bill for a transaction that does not close. You pay only for the percentage of work completed, which also keeps both sides aligned in moving the deal forward efficiently.
Pricing Example:
Consider a transaction at $5 million that involves an asset purchase and a cash-only deal structure. The business has five employees transitioning to the new owner, one commercial lease requiring assignment, and a single seller. There are no unusual complexities such as multiple locations, regulatory approvals, or cross-border issues. For a transaction of this size, our pricing range is $20,000 to $30,000, ensuring the legal fees remain proportional to the value of the deal. Your initial consultation and letter of intent are provided at no charge.
The minimum fee of $20,000 includes all essential services required for most deals of this size. This covers the preparation and negotiation of a standard asset purchase agreement, a standard due diligence review, virtual closing, review and preparation of the commercial lease assignment, up to two employees, and all other standard closing documentation.
Some extras are not included in the minimum fee. In this case, the transaction involves five employees, and the minimum fee covers only two, so an additional $500 extra per employee is added to the base fee. In addition, if the transaction requires financing arrangements with a lender, that work is billed separately at $2,000 to cover for the additional negotiation, documentation, and coordination with the financial institution.
The total quoted fee for this kind of transaction will be quoted at $23,500 plus HST and disbursements. This full fee structure is provided to you in a clear written proposal before you engage our services. You know exactly what you are paying for, what is included, and why certain items are priced as extras. There are no surprises, no hidden fees, and no hourly billing that creates uncertainty around your final legal costs.
Adamian Law Focuses Exclusively on M&A
Adamian Law focuses exclusively on M&A for small businesses and low mid-market transactions. Unlike full-service law firms that divide their time between family law, real estate, estates, immigration, and occasional business deals, we work exclusively on M&A matters. This specialization allows us to build processes specifically for business purchases and sales, from complimentary letters of intent to structured and efficient closing timelines.
Our fixed-fee model removes the hesitation clients often feel about contacting their lawyer with questions. You can call or email as needed without worrying that every interaction will increase your legal bill. When issues arise in a transaction, that is where we provide the most value, because the risk has already been priced into the fixed fee rather than charged by the hour. This principle forms the foundation of our entire firm.
Regularly scheduled meetings keep your deal on track toward closing. We actively manage the transaction to prevent deal fatigue, which often occurs when files drag on without progress. Our due diligence is targeted and focused on identifying and assessing real risks without unnecessarily jeopardizing the deal. The goal is not to eliminate every risk but to understand each one so you can make informed decisions.
Our approach attracts clients who value a professionalized and specialized service, including search funds, private equity groups, and owner-operators who appreciate the importance of M&A expertise. These clients prioritize proper due diligence and expect customized purchase agreement terms tailored to their transaction, rather than a generic templates with standard representations and warranties.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Contact us to discuss your M&A transaction. Your initial consultation and letter of intent are free of charge, allowing us to understand your deal and provide a clear, systematic fee proposal. We serve clients across all industries for transactions under $20 million. Protect your business acquisition or sale and enjoy the peace of mind of having a trusted M&A lawyer on your side.
