Going Public Attorney • Grand Rapids, Michigan

Going Public Attorney in Grand Rapids

By · Managing Partner
Last updated

Planning to take your company public? Our Grand Rapids-based attorneys specialize in IPOs, direct listings, SPAC mergers, and alternative paths to public markets for companies across Manufacturing, Healthcare, Technology.

Selective M&A Practice
Personal Attention
Senior Counsel on Every Deal

Talk to Alex About Your Grand Rapids Transaction

Share the basics. Alex reviews every inquiry personally.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

What We Do

Alex Lubyansky handles ipo & going public law work for buyers and sellers in Grand Rapids and across the country. Here is what that looks like:

  • Traditional IPOs and underwritten offerings
  • Direct listings and direct IPOs
  • SPAC business combinations
  • Reverse mergers and shell company transactions
  • OTCQB and OTCQX listings
  • Regulation A Tier 2 offerings (mini-IPOs)
  • Exchange listing applications (NYSE, NASDAQ)
  • Corporate governance and board structuring

Who We Serve

We work best with people who know what they want and are ready to move:

  • Growth companies ready for public markets
  • Private equity-backed portfolio companies
  • Mature private companies seeking liquidity
  • Foreign companies seeking U.S. listings
  • Pre-IPO companies building infrastructure
  • Companies considering alternatives to traditional IPOs

See If Your Deal Is a Fit

Tell us what you are working on. We respond within one business day.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

What Happens After You Submit

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 Grand Rapids Engagement Assessment

Alex Lubyansky handles every ipo & going public 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.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

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 Grand Rapids clients

What can I expect during an initial consultation in Grand Rapids?
During your confidential initial consultation in Grand Rapids, we'll discuss your ipo & going public law needs, review your current situation, assess potential challenges specific to Michigan, 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 Grand Rapids?
Yes, we represent clients nationwide while maintaining a strong presence in Grand Rapids. Our managing partner handles ipo & going public 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

Ready to Discuss Your Grand Rapids Deal?

Submit transaction details and Alex will respond directly.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

The Grand Rapids M&A Market

Grand Rapids is the heart of West Michigan's manufacturing economy, globally recognized as a center for office furniture and systems manufacturing with Herman Miller (now MillerKnoll), Steelcase, and Haworth all headquartered in the region. Beyond furniture, the metro has a robust food processing sector led by Meijer, Spartan Nash, and dozens of specialty food producers. The West Michigan private equity community, including firms like Huron Capital and Grand Angels, is remarkably active for a mid-size metro, creating sophisticated deal infrastructure for middle-market transactions.

Top M&A Sectors in Grand Rapids

  • Office Furniture & Systems Manufacturing
  • Food Processing & Specialty Foods
  • Automotive Parts & Precision Manufacturing
  • Healthcare & Medical Devices
  • Plastics & Advanced Materials

Deal Environment

Grand Rapids offers a surprisingly deep deal market driven by the region's concentration of family-owned manufacturers and the active West Michigan PE community. Deal competition is moderate, with local firms often having first-look advantages built through community relationships, though national industrials-focused PE funds increasingly target the region's high-quality manufacturing businesses.

Why Acquire in Grand Rapids

West Michigan's skilled manufacturing workforce, trained through programs at Grand Valley State and Davenport University, is a durable competitive advantage for acquired industrial businesses. The region's Dutch-heritage work ethic, low turnover rates, and reasonable labor costs make Grand Rapids acquisitions operationally attractive, while the furniture industry's pivot to hybrid-work solutions creates growth opportunities for innovative manufacturers.

Michigan Legal Considerations

Michigan enforces non-compete agreements under the Michigan Antitrust Reform Act, which provides a statutory framework requiring reasonable competitive purpose, and the state has repealed its Bulk Sales Act; Michigan's unique personal property tax on business equipment can create unexpected liability in manufacturing acquisitions and requires thorough pre-closing assessment.

Michigan Legal Considerations for IPO & Going Public Law

Non-Compete Laws

Enforceable under statutory framework (MARA). Reformation available.

Filing Requirements

Entity mergers and conversions are filed with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division. Annual reports are required. Certain regulated industries require separate filings.

Key Michigan Considerations

  • Michigan's automotive industry creates unique M&A considerations, including complex supply chain contracts, UAW labor agreements, and environmental liabilities at manufacturing sites
  • Michigan's Antitrust Reform Act provides a statutory framework for non-competes that differs from the common-law approaches of neighboring states
  • Michigan Renaissance Zone benefits (tax-free zones) may be relevant to acquisitions of businesses operating in designated areas

Michigan Bar Authority

State Bar of Michigan (mandatory unified bar). Unified/integrated bar. Membership required to practice law in Michigan.

Bar association website

Michigan Federal and Business Courts

Federal districts: E.D. Mich., W.D. Mich.

Business court: Michigan Business Court (established 2013) Established via 2012 legislation requiring circuit courts with three or more judges to create a specialized business docket. Business court dockets operate in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Kent, Genesee, Ingham, Kalamazoo, and other counties.

Michigan M&A Market Context

Detroit metro is the historic automotive supply chain M&A hub; Michigan also generates significant deal activity in automotive technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.

Watchpoints

Common Grand Rapids IPO & Going Public Law Pitfalls

These are the items we see derail ipo & going public law transactions in the Grand Rapids market. Each one is rooted in current statutory law, recent legislative changes, or recurring patterns from the deals Alex has handled.

1

Michigan non-compete enforcement and earn-out exposure

State legal framework

Enforceable under statutory framework (MARA). Reformation available.

"Founders get excited about the check amount and focus on valuation headlines while the fine print gets glossed over."
Alex Lubyansky · Alex LinkedIn Published (Notion library)
2

Michigan regulatory framework attorneys flag at LOI

State statute

Securities regulated by Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau (michigan.gov/lara). Michigan follows the Uniform Securities Act; Blue Sky notice filings required for Reg D.

3

Common ipo & going public law mistake from the field

From Alex Lubyansky

An LOI is permission to look under the hood. Nothing more.

Other Going Public Attorney Service Areas Near Grand Rapids

Acquisition Stars represents clients across Michigan and nationwide. Alex Lubyansky handles every engagement personally.

Don't see your city? View all Going Public Attorney service areas or contact us directly.

Attorney perspective on going public attorney matters in Grand Rapids

Alex Lubyansky, Managing Partner at Acquisition Stars
"You're agreeing to be judged on a scorecard that someone else gets to rewrite."
Alex Lubyansky, Senior Counsel On structuring (principle) (Alex LinkedIn Drafts (AJ-Work))

15+ years of M&A and securities transaction experience Senior counsel on every engagement Admitted in Michigan, practicing nationwide

Reviewed by Alex Lubyansky on . Read full bio

Ready to Talk About Your Grand Rapids Deal?

Alex Lubyansky handles every engagement personally. Tell us about your transaction and we will let you know if there is a fit.

Request Engagement Assessment

Tell us about your deal. We review every submission and respond within one business day.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

One attorney on every deal. Nationwide. 15+ years of M&A experience.