Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a small business?

Buying or selling a business often involves complex legal issues, including contracts, due diligence, financing, and risk allocation. A lawyer experienced in business acquisitions can help structure the transaction, identify potential problems, and guide the process through closing.

What is the first step if I want to buy a business?

A good first step is to talk with an experienced small business merger and acquisition lawyer about your goals, budget, and timeline. They can help you understand the process, review opportunities, and identify issues to watch for before you move forward.

What is the first step if I want to sell my business?

A good first step is to speak with an experienced advisor about how the sale process works and what issues may arise. Early planning can help business owners prepare their company for sale and avoid problems later in the transaction.

What types of business transactions do you handle?

Joel focuses on ownership transfers, including business sales, business acquisitions, partnership and LLC buyouts, and commercial real estate purchases, sales, and leases. He collaborates with business owners, investors, brokers, and entrepreneurs across Virginia.

Do you handle commercial real estate transactions?

Yes. Joel represents buyers and sellers in the purchase and sale of commercial real estate, including properties connected with business acquisitions and stand-alone commercial property transactions.

Do you represent both buyers and sellers in business transactions?

Yes. Joel represents both buyers and sellers in business acquisitions and sales. His experience on both sides of transactions helps him anticipate issues and guide clients through negotiations and the closing process.

Can you help with LLC, corporation, or partnership buyouts?

Yes. Joel advises business owners on buyouts among LLC members, corporate shareholders, and partners, including negotiating buyout terms, structuring the transaction, and documenting the transfer of ownership.

Home | Ankney Law | Business & Commercial Real Estate Lawyer

Legal Services

Guiding Virginia Business

Start a Business

Form a Virginia LLC or Corporation
LLC Operating Agreements
Shareholders' Agreements
Buy-Sell Agreements
Commercial Leases
Employment Agreements
Consulting or Independent Contractor Agreements
Joint Ventures

Own & Operate a Business

Commercial Contracts
Contract Enforcement
Buy-ins and Buy-outs
Phantom Equity
Commercial Leasing
Business Owner Disputes
Business Separations
Business Dissolutions

Buy or Sell a Business

Non-Disclosure Agreements
Letters of Intent
Asset Purchase Agreements
Stock Purchase Agreements
Legal Due Diligence
Seller Financing
Commercial and SBA Loans
Closing Documents
Transition Services Agreements
Closing Agent
Post-Closing Disputes

Buy or Sell
Commercial Real Estate

Purchase and Sale Agreements
Title and Due Diligence Review
Entity Structuring for Real Estate Ownership
1031 Exchange Transactions
Financing and Loan Documents
Real Estate Transfers for Business Sales
Commercial Real Estate Closings
Easements and Shared Access Agreements
Commercial Leasing

My Clients

A collaborative relationship

People

Business owners, founders, entrepreneurs, landlords, tenants, and professional advisors involved in starting, buying, selling, leasing, operating, and transferring privately owned businesses and commercial real estate.

Size

Closely held businesses and their owners, from startups and family businesses to established Main Street, and lower middle-market companies.

Geography

Clients throughout Virginia, including Hampton Roads, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Northern Virginia, as well as out-of-state entities and individuals transacting business in Virginia.

Industries

Most anything, including construction services, manufacturing, real estate, consulting, creatives, professional services, technology, healthcare, wellness, logistics, hospitality, retail sectors.

Joel Ankney

Virginia Business & Commercial Real Estate Lawyer

Connect

c: 757.270.4088
e: joel@jalawoffice.com

Joel Ankney

Business & Commercial Real Estate Lawyer

For more than three decades, Joel Ankney has helped business owners start, buy, operate, and sell their businesses.

He has helped clients start and operate hundreds of Virginia LLCs and corporations.

Joel has helped business owners complete hundreds of asset and equity transactions across a wide range of industries. Those transactions have ranged from smaller, closely held business sales of approximately $50,000 to complex deals worth up to $55 million.

In addition, he has helped business owners and investors buy, sell, and lease commercial real estate throughout Virginia, including office buildings and condos, medical offices, manufacturing facilities, self-storage facilities, restaurants, retail shopping centers, industrial facilities, and vacant land.

Business owners have also relied on Joel to resolve business partner disputes and negotiate LLC, corporate, and partnership buyouts.

Joel focuses on strategies to de-escalate tense negotiations and close deals efficiently.

To enhance transaction literacy, Joel has published books that help business owners and entrepreneurs better understand the legal process of business transfers. As a result of the popularity of Joel's books, he has been a guest lecturer at top business schools and on podcasts.

Joel graduated first in his law school class and then spent 12 years practicing at some of the country's largest law firms. In 2003, he founded his own law firm, Ankney Law, to provide small business owners with more affordable and efficient legal services.