Savannah's port economy, Gulfstream's aerospace manufacturing, and the hospitality and tourism sector each bring their own diligence requirements to a business sale. Georgia non-compete law is also more structured than many sellers realize, and negotiating scope matters more than first-time sellers expect. Our managing partner handles Savannah sell-side engagements directly. Submit the transaction details if you have a qualified buyer.
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 Savannah 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 Savannah 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 Savannah clients
How does Georgia's Restrictive Covenants Act affect my sale?
Georgia's RCA codifies reasonableness standards for non-competes, with specific provisions for covenants tied to the sale of a business. Courts apply the statutory framework rather than pure common law, which produces more predictable outcomes than some neighboring states. Buyer counsel will still push for broad language. Negotiate specific duration, geography, and activity carveouts at the LOI stage before the definitive agreement locks the terms.
What export control issues come up in aerospace sales?
Aerospace businesses often fall under ITAR or EAR export control regulations. Buyers will diligence ITAR registration, commodity jurisdiction, export authorization history, and flow-down compliance. Any foreign ownership on the buyer side can trigger CFIUS review, which has to be planned before signing rather than discovered mid-diligence. Sellers who pre-audit export exposure preserve leverage.
How do Georgia liquor license transfers work in a hospitality sale?
Georgia liquor licenses are issued by the Department of Revenue and typically require local alcohol licensing board approval as well. Transfers are not automatic and involve review. The purchase agreement has to accommodate the timeline through closing conditions, interim management arrangements, or license escrow depending on the structure. Mapping all permits and licenses early avoids late-stage closing complications.
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 Georgia non-compete laws affect business sale transaction law transactions?
Enforceable under the Georgia Restrictive Covenants Act (O.C.G.A. Section 13-8-50 et seq.), enacted in 2011 via constitutional amendment. The Act overturned decades of hostile case law and now permits blue-penciling. Covenants must be reasonable in time, geography, and scope. Non-competes in connection with the sale of a business are given broader latitude than employment-based covenants.
What are the Georgia tax considerations for selling a business?
Georgia imposes a flat 5.39% corporate income tax (reduced from 5.75% under recent legislation). The state uses single-factor sales apportionment with market-based sourcing. Georgia conforms to most federal tax provisions, including Section 338(h)(10) elections. Film tax credits are transferable and can be relevant when acquiring entertainment industry businesses.
Does Georgia have a bulk sales law that affects business acquisitions?
Georgia has repealed UCC Article 6 (Bulk Sales). Buyers should obtain a tax clearance certificate from the Georgia Department of Revenue before closing asset purchases, as successor liability for the seller's unpaid withholding and sales taxes can attach.
What can I expect during an initial consultation in Savannah?
During your confidential initial consultation in Savannah, we'll discuss your business sale transaction law needs, review your current situation, assess potential challenges specific to Georgia, 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 Savannah?
Yes, we represent clients nationwide while maintaining a strong presence in Savannah. 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
Savannah's economy runs on the Port of Savannah (one of the largest container ports in the country), Gulfstream Aerospace and its supplier ecosystem, hospitality and tourism along the historic district, and a growing logistics and distribution base serving the Southeast. Georgia's Restrictive Covenants Act provides a statutory framework for non-competes tied to a sale of business that is more predictable than common-law regimes, with reasonableness standards codified. Aerospace supplier sales carry AS9100 continuity, ITAR and EAR export control diligence, and customer contract consent requirements. Hospitality sales involve Georgia liquor license transfers through the Department of Revenue, food service permits, and short-term rental regulatory posture. Logistics operations face customer concentration and DOT compliance. Georgia's income tax is modest and has a pass-through entity tax election available, which interacts with deal structure.
Common Deal Scenarios in Savannah
1
Gulfstream or Aerospace Supplier Business Sale
Aerospace suppliers face AS9100 certification continuity, ITAR and EAR export control diligence, customer contract consent, and quality program documentation review. Gulfstream supplier agreements commonly include flow-down compliance and change-of-control provisions. Sellers who audit export control exposure, certification status, and customer consent requirements before going to market shorten diligence and reduce buyer rep asks.
2
Hospitality or Restaurant Business Sale with License Transfers
Georgia liquor license transfers run through the Department of Revenue and often require local alcohol licensing board approval. Food service permits, health department approvals, and short-term rental registrations where applicable all need transition planning. Purchase agreements have to accommodate license transfer timelines with closing conditions that protect both parties during the review.
3
Port Logistics or Distribution Business Sale
Port-adjacent logistics sellers face customer concentration diligence, DOT and FMCSA compliance, equipment financing change-of-control consents, and in some cases customs brokerage license considerations. Buyer diligence is thorough. Sellers who present organized compliance files and pre-identify customer consent requirements negotiate from meaningfully stronger positioning.
Why Savannah for M&A
Savannah's deal flow concentrates in aerospace, port logistics, and hospitality, each with its own regulatory and contract diligence profile. Sellers who plan export control review, license transfers, and non-compete scope under Georgia's statutory framework before going to market preserve leverage. Sellers who treat these as closing-week tasks surrender value that buyers capture during diligence.
Georgia Legal Considerations for Business Sale Transaction Law
Non-Compete Laws
Enforceable under 2011 statutory framework. Blue-pencil available.
Filing Requirements
Entity mergers and conversions are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Annual registrations are required. Professional license transfers require separate filings with the relevant Georgia licensing board.
Key Georgia Considerations
Georgia's 2011 constitutional amendment and Restrictive Covenants Act dramatically changed non-compete enforceability, making pre-2011 Georgia case law unreliable for assessing existing covenants in target companies
Georgia's transferable film and entertainment tax credits can represent significant value in acquisitions of qualifying businesses
The state's port system (Port of Savannah) creates opportunities and regulatory considerations for acquisitions of logistics and import/export businesses
Georgia Bar Authority
State Bar of Georgia (mandatory unified bar). Unified/integrated bar. Membership required to practice law in Georgia.
Business court: Georgia State-wide Business Court (established 2020) Constitutional amendment approved November 2018; enabling legislation HB 239 passed 2019; court became operational August 3, 2020. Handles complex commercial matters with statewide jurisdiction. Georgia O.C.G.A. sec. 13-8-50 governs restrictive covenants.
Georgia M&A Market Context
Metro Atlanta is Georgia's M&A engine, with concentrations in technology, logistics, financial technology, and healthcare services transactions.
Watchpoints
Common Savannah Business Sale Transaction Law Pitfalls
These are the items we see derail business sale transaction law transactions in the Savannah market. Each one is rooted in current statutory law, recent legislative changes, or recurring patterns from the deals Alex has handled.
1
Georgia non-compete enforcement and earn-out exposure
State legal framework
Enforceable under 2011 statutory framework. Blue-pencil available.
"When the other side returns a redlined definitive, you don't need to be an attorney to scan the document and see whether it's signal or noise. If the entire document is now red, you can see it visually. The quick scan is whether these are actually important points or whether this is grammatical nitpicking for the sake of grammatical nitpicking. The latter is a pretty big red flag pretty quickly. In a good transaction, the redlining focuses on risk allocation, earnouts, exclusivity. The structural points that matter to the client on either side. That's fair. That's fine. When you see the same point reraised three rounds later, you have to ask whether that's a memory problem or just another way to keep the meter running. Sometimes I wonder if the firms are working together to make sure it goes back and forth. I'm not part of that."
2
Georgia regulatory framework attorneys flag at LOI
State statute
Securities regulated by Georgia Secretary of State Securities Division (sos.ga.gov/securities). Georgia follows the Uniform Securities Act; Blue Sky notice filings required for Reg D.
3
Common business sale transaction law mistake from the field
From Alex Lubyansky
An LOI is permission to look under the hood. Nothing more.
Guides and Resources
In-depth guides to help you prepare for your transaction
Attorney perspective on business sale attorney matters in Savannah
"Non-binding is just a phrase. It does not guarantee a frictionless process down the line. An LOI can absolutely structure the entire future of a deal even when the document explicitly says non-binding. If counsel comes in later in the game, the LOI is already there, and parties will anchor to it. Whether or not you were involved in the drafting. Whether or not you were involved in the negotiation. They will anchor to that document. And when deals blow up, fingers get pointed at the LOI's terms. The phrase non-binding sets a buyer's expectations. The substance of the document sets the deal. Those two things are different, and the gap between them is where deals get expensive."
Alex Lubyansky, Senior Counsel
On structuring (warning) (Leo Landaverde M&A Podcast)
15+ years of M&A and securities transaction experience·Senior counsel on every engagement·Admitted in Michigan, practicing nationwide
