Selling a business
Selling your company or business? I take you from heads of terms to completion: preparing for sale, handling the buyer’s due diligence and negotiating the sale agreement, on a fixed fee.
Highly recommended. 100% of surveyed clients would recommend my services.
Fast turnarounds. I return work in days, not weeks.
Hands-on service. An involved approach to solving problems.
- M&A and corporate transactions completed
- 250+
- average from 90+ five-star client reviews
- 5.0
- regulated through Kingsley Wood, a City of London firm
- SRA
- professional indemnity cover on every matter
- £30m
Overview
Selling a business you have built is usually a one-off, and the buyer’s solicitors will have done it many times. My job is to even that up. I act for owners selling by share sale or asset sale, from the first heads of terms through due diligence to the sale agreement, completion and any earn-out or deferred payment that follows.
Where a sale involves premises, I work with commercial property colleagues at Kingsley Wood so that the lease or freehold is dealt with alongside the business.
How it works
- 01
A free initial consultation
Call, WhatsApp or book a video call. We talk through what the work needs, what it does not, and whether I am the right fit for it.
- 02
A fixed fee, agreed up front
You get a written quote before any work starts. The scope and the price are agreed in advance, so there are no surprise invoices.
- 03
Done for you, start to finish
I draft the documents, negotiate with the other side where needed, and deal with Companies House, and keep you informed throughout.
- 04
Completion, and what comes after
Signing and completion, with a clear list of anything you need to do once the work is done.
Video guide
What is the Best Way to Sell a Small Business: Brokers, Valuations, Legals, and Taxes
Malcolm walks through the main steps in selling a small business: whether to use a broker, how valuation works, the legal process and the tax points to plan for before you sell.
More videos on the Malcolm Zoppi YouTube channel.
Client reviews
90+ five-star reviews, 5.0 average
Verified reviews from clients on Google and Facebook, collected independently by Trustindex.
“Outstanding legal guidance during a complex and stressful company sale.”
“Pragmatic, clear advice, and genuinely responsive to our needs.”
“Clear and helpful advice, and the deal was finished at short notice on completion day.”
My approach
How I approach a sale
I will tell you early what a buyer is likely to find in due diligence and help you tidy it up before it costs you on price. The sale agreement is then negotiated to limit what you remain liable for after completion: warranties, indemnities, retentions and restrictive covenants. Fees are fixed and agreed before I start.
Who I work with
Who I act for
I act for:
- Owner-managers selling to a trade buyer
- Founders selling to a management team or investor
- Shareholders selling a minority or majority stake
- Business owners retiring and selling the whole company
Free initial consultation
Tell me what you need
Book a free call and I will tell you what the work involves, what it is likely to cost and how long it should take. No questionnaires or onboarding forms.
FAQs
Common questions about selling a business
What to expect when you instruct me on a sale.
- Should I sell the shares or the assets?
It depends on tax, the liabilities you want to leave behind and what the buyer will accept. A share sale passes the whole company, history included; an asset sale lets the buyer pick what it takes. I will set out the differences for your situation before anything is agreed with the buyer.
- What should I do before going to market?
Get the paperwork in order: statutory registers, customer and supplier contracts, employment contracts, leases and any intellectual property. Buyers discount for uncertainty, so a problem found now is cheaper than the same problem found in due diligence.
- How long does a sale take?
Once heads of terms are agreed, most SME sales I handle complete within two to three months, depending on how quickly due diligence and the buyer’s funding come together. We agree a timetable at the start and I keep you updated as each stage completes. I aim to answer or return calls within 24 hours, and emails sooner.
Book a free call with me or my team
Leave your details and you’ll hear from me or my team within one working day, usually the same day. Or call, email or WhatsApp directly.