Colorado sellers often hear that a 4.4 percent flat state income tax makes the tax picture simple. It doesn't. The tax picture is decided by whether you take the PTE election, whether your entity is properly structured for the sale, and whether you've accounted for federal tax on the gain as much as state tax. That analysis matters more than the headline rate. Our managing partner handles Denver sell-side engagements directly. If you have a signed LOI or a qualified buyer, submit the transaction details.
Share the basics. Alex reviews every inquiry personally.
Submission Received
Your transaction details are under review. If there is alignment, we will be in touch.
Meanwhile, feel free to call us directly at (248) 266-2790
What We Do
Alex Lubyansky handles business sale transaction law work for buyers and sellers in Denver and across the country. Here is what that looks like:
Buy-side and sell-side legal representation for business sales
Purchase agreement drafting, review, and negotiation
Deal structuring for asset purchases and stock purchases
Due diligence management and risk assessment
Escrow, earnout, and contingent payment structuring
SBA loan coordination and lender-required documentation
Non-compete, employment, and transition agreement negotiation
Post-closing adjustments and dispute resolution
Who We Serve
We work best with people who know what they want and are ready to move:
Buyers and sellers in active business sale transactions
Business broker-referred clients who need transaction counsel
SBA-financed buyers and sellers needing compliant deal documentation
Partners buying out co-owners or selling their interest in a business
Entrepreneurs purchasing their first business
Business owners selling to employees, family members, or outside buyers
See If Your Deal Is a Fit
Tell us what you are working on. We respond within one business day.
Submission Received
Your transaction details are under review. If there is alignment, we will be in touch.
Meanwhile, feel free to call us directly at (248) 266-2790
Our Process
A structured, methodical approach to business sale transaction law
1
Transaction Assessment
We review the proposed deal, understand your objectives (whether buying or selling), and develop a legal strategy tailored to your specific transaction and timeline.
2
Deal Structuring
We structure the transaction to optimize risk allocation, tax treatment, and operational continuity, whether as an asset purchase, stock purchase, or membership interest transfer.
3
Due Diligence
Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky oversees legal due diligence, identifying risks and opportunities that directly inform the purchase agreement and deal terms.
4
Agreement Negotiation
We draft or negotiate the purchase agreement and all ancillary documents, ensuring every term reflects your interests and addresses the specific risks in your deal.
5
Closing Coordination
We manage the closing checklist, coordinate with lenders, brokers, and opposing counsel, and ensure all conditions are met for a timely and clean closing.
We don't take every matter. Here is what happens when you reach out.
1
Personal Review (Within 24 Hours)
Alex reviews your transaction details personally. No intake coordinators, no junior associates screening your submission.
2
Fit Assessment
We evaluate whether your deal aligns with our practice. Not every matter is a fit, and we will tell you directly if it is not.
3
Initial Conversation
If there is alignment, Alex schedules a direct call to discuss your transaction, timeline, and objectives.
4
Clear Engagement Terms
Before any work begins, you receive a written engagement letter with defined scope, timeline, and fee structure. No surprises.
Request Your Denver Engagement Assessment
Alex Lubyansky handles every business sale transaction law engagement personally.
15+ years of M&A experience. Nationwide. One attorney on every deal.
Request Engagement Assessment
We review every transaction inquiry within one business day.
Submission Received
Your transaction details are under review. If there is alignment, we will be in touch.
Meanwhile, feel free to call us directly at (248) 266-2790
Questions to Ask Any M&A Attorney Before Hiring
Use these before you call any firm, including ours.
1. "Who will actually handle my transaction?"
At many firms, a partner sells the work and a junior associate does it. Ask for the name of the attorney who will draft and negotiate your documents.
2. "How many M&A transactions has the lead attorney closed in the past 12 months?"
Volume indicates current, active deal experience, not just credentials from years ago.
3. "What is your experience with my deal size and industry?"
A $500K SBA acquisition and a $50M PE deal require different skill sets. Make sure the attorney has handled transactions similar to yours.
4. "Will you coordinate with my CPA, financial advisor, and broker?"
M&A transactions require a team. Your attorney should work with your other advisors, not in a silo.
5. "How do you handle post-closing disputes?"
Reps, warranties, and indemnification claims surface months after closing. Ask whether the firm handles post-closing litigation or refers it out.
6. "What is your fee structure, and what drives cost?"
Hourly, flat fee, or hybrid. Ask what factors increase legal costs so there are no surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from Denver clients
How does the Colorado PTE election affect my business sale?
The pass-through entity election allows your state income tax to be paid at the entity level, which means it's deductible for federal purposes. For a seller with a significant gain, that deduction moves real dollars. The timing and structure of the election depends on whether the deal is a stock sale, asset sale, or F-reorganization. Coordinate counsel and your CPA before LOI.
Why do cannabis deals take longer in Colorado?
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division runs a change-of-ownership review that includes background checks, source-of-funds verification, and fingerprinting for all material beneficial owners. Local jurisdictions often require separate approvals. Realistic timelines for a licensed cannabis business sale run six to twelve months from LOI to closing, and the purchase agreement needs to accommodate that.
What's different about selling to a family office versus PE?
Family offices generally hold longer, involve themselves less in operations, and structure deals with fewer aggressive earnout mechanics. The trade-off is slower decision cycles, more personal relationship-building during diligence, and a stronger focus on whether the management team will stay. For sellers who want a quieter post-closing life, family offices often fit better than institutional PE.
What does a business sale attorney do?
A business sale attorney handles the legal side of buying or selling a business. This includes structuring the deal, conducting or managing due diligence, drafting and negotiating the purchase agreement, and coordinating the closing. At Acquisition Stars, Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky is personally involved in every transaction.
Do I need an attorney for a small business sale?
Yes. Even straightforward business sales involve purchase agreements, liability allocation, non-compete terms, and closing mechanics that carry real legal risk. The cost of experienced counsel is small compared to the cost of a poorly structured deal or a post-closing dispute that could have been prevented.
How much does a business sale attorney cost?
Legal fees depend on the size and complexity of the transaction. Acquisition Stars provides personal attention and 15+ years of M&A expertise with the managing partner on every deal. We discuss scope and structure during your initial engagement assessment.
Can you represent both the buyer and the seller?
No. Representing both sides in the same transaction creates a conflict of interest. We represent one party, either the buyer or the seller, and advocate exclusively for that client's interests throughout the deal.
How is Acquisition Stars different from a general business lawyer?
Our practice is focused exclusively on M&A transactions. Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky brings 15+ years of deal experience, which means we have seen and solved the issues that general practice attorneys encounter for the first time. You get specialized M&A counsel with the personal responsiveness of a boutique firm.
How do Colorado non-compete laws affect business sale transaction law transactions?
Highly restricted under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 8-2-113 (amended 2022). Non-competes are void unless the restricted party earns above a salary threshold ($123,750 in 2024, adjusted annually). Non-solicitation agreements require a lower threshold ($49,500 in 2024). An exception exists for non-competes in connection with the sale of a business. Employers must provide notice of the covenant in a separate document at or before the time the agreement is signed.
What are the Colorado tax considerations for selling a business?
Colorado imposes a flat 4.4% corporate income tax based on federal taxable income. The state follows a single-factor sales apportionment formula. Colorado has adopted market-based sourcing for service revenue. Buyers should verify Colorado-specific treatment of Section 338(h)(10) elections and asset step-up provisions.
Does Colorado have a bulk sales law that affects business acquisitions?
Colorado has repealed UCC Article 6 (Bulk Sales). Buyers should still request a tax clearance from the Colorado Department of Revenue, as successor liability for unpaid sales and withholding taxes can attach to asset purchasers.
What can I expect during an initial consultation in Denver?
During your confidential initial consultation in Denver, we'll discuss your business sale transaction law needs, review your current situation, assess potential challenges specific to Colorado, and outline a clear path forward. We'll explain our process, answer your questions, and determine if we're the right fit for your needs.
Do you work with companies outside of Denver?
Yes, we represent clients nationwide while maintaining a strong presence in Denver. Our managing partner handles business sale transaction law matters across all 50 states, coordinating with local counsel where state-specific requirements apply.
Need Specific Guidance?
Submit your transaction details for a preliminary assessment by our managing partner
Submit transaction details and Alex will respond directly.
Submission Received
Your transaction details are under review. If there is alignment, we will be in touch.
Meanwhile, feel free to call us directly at (248) 266-2790
The Denver M&A Market
Denver's M&A market benefits from the city's emergence as a secondary tech hub and its traditional strengths in aerospace, natural resources, and outdoor recreation industries. The region's thriving craft food & beverage sector (breweries, restaurants, CPG brands) drives significant small-business acquisition activity. Colorado's cannabis industry, now mature, is seeing consolidation-driven M&A.
Top M&A Sectors in Denver
Technology
Aerospace & Defense
Natural Resources
Food & Beverage
Cannabis
Deal Environment
Denver offers a balanced market with moderate valuations and consistent deal flow. The city's quality of life attracts relocated executives who often become first-time acquirers, creating a growing buyer pool for local businesses.
Why Acquire in Denver
Colorado's educated workforce (one of the highest percentages of college graduates in the US) and lifestyle appeal create low employee turnover for acquired businesses, protecting post-acquisition value.
Colorado Legal Considerations
Colorado severely restricts non-compete agreements - they are void for most workers unless the employee earns above a high threshold (approximately $123,750 in 2024), making retention strategies and earn-out structures critical in acquisition planning.
Denver M&A Market Insight
Colorado's 4.4 percent flat income tax and the pass-through entity election create planning opportunities that sellers miss when they don't involve counsel and a CPA early. The PTE election allows state tax to be paid at the entity level, which creates a federal deduction that a sole proprietor or single-member LLC cannot replicate. On the deal side, Denver's cannabis and cannabis-adjacent ecosystem introduces a regulatory layer that slows transactions substantially. MED licensing transfers, local jurisdiction approvals, and 280E tax exposure all surface in diligence. Even non-cannabis sellers in real estate, commercial lending, or ancillary services discover that counterparties expect specialized diligence. Beyond cannabis, Denver's buyer pool leans toward family offices and lower-middle-market PE focused on outdoor recreation, technology services, and specialty contracting.
Common Deal Scenarios in Denver
1
Licensed Cannabis Business Sale with MED Transfer
Cannabis sellers face the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division change-of-ownership process, which adds months to any deal timeline. Local jurisdiction approvals (city or county) often run in parallel. The purchase agreement has to accommodate the regulatory delay with deposit structures, financing contingencies that extend through the licensing process, and walk rights on both sides if approval is denied.
2
Lower Middle Market Sale with PTE Election Planning
Colorado's pass-through entity election can meaningfully reduce the seller's after-tax proceeds. The election has to be made on time and is coordinated between counsel and the seller's CPA. Structuring the deal as an equity sale, an asset sale with a 338(h)(10) election, or an F-reorganization changes how PTE planning applies. The decision happens before LOI, not after.
3
Family Office Acquisition of Outdoor Recreation Business
Denver's family office buyer pool tends toward longer hold periods, lighter post-closing involvement, and less aggressive earnout structures than institutional PE. The trade-off is slower decision cycles and more detailed diligence on operational continuity. Sellers negotiating with family offices should expect reasonable terms, longer timelines, and stronger attention to management team retention.
Why Denver for M&A
Denver's M&A market reflects Colorado's economy. Technology services, outdoor recreation, specialty contracting, and a regulated cannabis sector generate steady deal flow, and family offices and lower-middle-market PE compete for quality assets. Sellers who plan the PTE election, clean their entity structure, and account for industry-specific regulatory friction go to market with leverage that translates into closing price.
Local Market Context
Denver M&A Market
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA · MSA population 3.0M
MSA Population (2024)
3.0M
U.S. Census Bureau
Top Industry Concentration
1 oil and gas and energy
2 aerospace and defense
3 technology and telecommunications
Denver's M&A market reflects its position as the gateway to the Mountain West and Rocky Mountain energy markets. Oil and gas, mining, and renewable energy transactions are anchored by the metro's proximity to the DJ Basin and broader Rocky Mountain energy infrastructure. A growing technology and aerospace sector has diversified the deal mix. Denver has also attracted private equity firms seeking lower-cost operations than coastal markets, adding deal-making capacity.
Major Denver Employers and Deal Anchors
Lockheed Martin (Space)
United Launch Alliance
DaVita
Centura Health (CommonSpirit)
Dish Network
Xcel Energy
Transit and Logistics
Denver International Airport is the fifth-busiest US airport and the primary air hub for the Mountain West region. Denver is the hub of the Front Range logistics corridor along I-25. Rocky Mountain Corridor rail freight serves the metro.
Recent Denver Deal Signal (2024-2025)
Renewable energy project acquisitions in Colorado accelerated through 2024 as Xcel Energy and independent power producers expanded solar and wind portfolios. Technology company acquisitions by Denver-based strategic buyers also increased, reflecting the metro's maturing tech ecosystem.
Local Regulatory Notes for Business Sale Transaction Law
Colorado Securities Act governs Blue Sky filings. Colorado's legalized cannabis industry creates a distinct M&A sub-sector with unique regulatory complexities at the state level.
Colorado Legal Considerations for Business Sale Transaction Law
Non-Compete Laws
Restricted by salary threshold ($123,750+). Sale-of-business exception applies.
Filing Requirements
Entity mergers and conversions must be filed with the Colorado Secretary of State. Annual reports are required for all Colorado entities. Businesses operating in regulated industries (cannabis, energy, insurance) require separate approvals.
Key Colorado Considerations
Colorado's legalized cannabis industry creates unique M&A considerations, as state-licensed cannabis businesses cannot be acquired by entities with certain disqualifying ownership or criminal history
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission must approve acquisitions of regulated utilities, telecommunications providers, and certain energy companies
Colorado's 2022 non-compete reforms require specific notice and disclosure at the time of signing, and violations carry penalties of $5,000 per affected worker
Colorado Bar Authority
Colorado Bar Association. Voluntary bar. The Colorado Supreme Court regulates admission separately via the Office of Attorney Registration.
Business court: No dedicated business court division. Commercial disputes proceed through general civil courts.
Colorado M&A Market Context
Colorado M&A is driven by the Denver-Boulder technology and aerospace corridor, plus energy sector transactions; the state has emerged as a significant tech acquisition market.
Watchpoints
Common Denver Business Sale Transaction Law Pitfalls
These are the items we see derail business sale transaction law transactions in the Denver market. Each one is rooted in current statutory law, recent legislative changes, or recurring patterns from the deals Alex has handled.
1
Colorado non-compete enforcement and earn-out exposure
State legal framework
Restricted by salary threshold ($123,750+). Sale-of-business exception applies.
"The conversation you're avoiding today becomes the lawsuit you're defending tomorrow."
2
Denver local regulatory exposure
Local regulatory
Colorado Securities Act governs Blue Sky filings. Colorado's legalized cannabis industry creates a distinct M&A sub-sector with unique regulatory complexities at the state level.
3
Colorado regulatory framework attorneys flag at LOI
State statute
Securities regulated by Colorado Division of Securities (dora.colorado.gov/securities). Colorado follows the Uniform Securities Act of 2002; Blue Sky notice filings required for Reg D offerings. Colorado enacted a wage threshold for non-compete enforceability.
Guides and Resources
In-depth guides to help you prepare for your transaction
