Planning to take your company public? Our Sarasota-based attorneys specialize in IPOs, direct listings, SPAC mergers, and alternative paths to public markets for companies across Healthcare, Real Estate, Tourism.
Share the basics. Alex reviews every inquiry personally.
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
Alex Lubyansky handles ipo & going public law work for buyers and sellers in Sarasota and across the country. Here is what that looks like:
We work best with people who know what they want and are ready to move:
Tell us what you are working on. We respond within one business day.
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
We don't take every matter. Here is what happens when you reach out.
Alex reviews your transaction details personally. No intake coordinators, no junior associates screening your submission.
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.
If there is alignment, Alex schedules a direct call to discuss your transaction, timeline, and objectives.
Before any work begins, you receive a written engagement letter with defined scope, timeline, and fee structure. No surprises.
Alex Lubyansky handles every ipo & going public law engagement personally.
15+ years of M&A experience. Nationwide. One attorney on every deal.
We review every transaction inquiry within one business day.
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
Use these before you call any firm, including ours.
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.
Volume indicates current, active deal experience, not just credentials from years ago.
A $500K SBA acquisition and a $50M PE deal require different skill sets. Make sure the attorney has handled transactions similar to yours.
M&A transactions require a team. Your attorney should work with your other advisors, not in a silo.
Reps, warranties, and indemnification claims surface months after closing. Ask whether the firm handles post-closing litigation or refers it out.
Hourly, flat fee, or hybrid. Ask what factors increase legal costs so there are no surprises.
Common questions from Sarasota clients
Submit your transaction details for a preliminary assessment by our managing partner
Submit Transaction DetailsSubmit transaction details and Alex will respond directly.
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
Tampa Bay's M&A market has surged alongside the region's rapid population and business growth, with particular strength in financial services, insurance, and healthcare. The area's emergence as a technology hub (Tampa's 'Water Street' development) is attracting VC-backed startups that will eventually become acquisition targets. The region's large retiree population drives consistent deal flow in wealth management, home health, and senior services.
Tampa's deal market is increasingly competitive as relocating executives bring capital and acquisition expertise from the Northeast. The region's growing sophistication means sellers are better advised than in previous years, leading to more structured sale processes.
Tampa Bay's population growth, absence of state income tax, and improving infrastructure (including a growing tech workforce) make it one of the most attractive acquisition markets in the Southeast.
Florida broadly enforces non-compete agreements under its statute (Section 542.335), which establishes presumptions of reasonableness for specific timeframes and shifts the burden to the party opposing enforcement - this generally favors buyers seeking to protect acquired business value.
Local Market Context
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA · MSA population 3.3M
MSA Population (2024)
3.3M
U.S. Census Bureau
Top Industry Concentration
Tampa has grown into a significant Southeast financial services and technology hub, benefiting from Florida's tax advantages and lower cost of operations compared to Northeast markets. The metro has attracted financial services firms, insurance companies, and technology services businesses relocating from higher-cost markets. Healthcare and defense contracting (driven by MacDill Air Force Base) are additional M&A drivers.
Tampa International Airport serves the metro with domestic and international connectivity. Port Tampa Bay is the largest Florida port by tonnage and a significant phosphate export terminal. The port's phosphate and fertilizer trade adds an agribusiness M&A dimension.
Recent Sarasota Deal Signal (2024-2025)
Insurance and specialty finance acquisitions were active in the Tampa metro in 2024, reflecting the market's established position as a Southeast financial services hub. Raymond James Financial's continued advisory and wealth management acquisitions were a consistent deal signal.
Source (accessed 2026-04-27)
Florida OFR handles securities oversight. No unusual local Tampa or Hillsborough County restrictions on business transfers.
Strongly enforced under statutory framework (Section 542.335). Hardship to employee not considered.
Entity mergers, conversions, and dissolutions require filing with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz). Bulk asset purchasers must obtain a clearance letter from the Department of Revenue. Professional license transfers require separate filings with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The Florida Bar (mandatory unified bar). Unified/integrated bar. Membership required to practice law in Florida.
Bar association websiteFederal districts: N.D. Fla., M.D. Fla., S.D. Fla.
Business court: Florida Circuit Court Business Courts (multiple counties) (established 2003) Specialized business court divisions operate in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough (Tampa), and Orange (Orlando) counties. Florida Statute sec. 542.335 governs restrictive covenants and is nationally notable for its pro-enforcement stance.
Florida is a major lower-middle-market M&A state, with Miami as an international deal-flow hub and Tampa-Orlando as domestic healthcare and distribution transaction centers.
Watchpoints
These are the items we see derail ipo & going public law transactions in the Sarasota market. Each one is rooted in current statutory law, recent legislative changes, or recurring patterns from the deals Alex has handled.
Strongly enforced under statutory framework (Section 542.335). Hardship to employee not considered.
"Founders get excited about the check amount and focus on valuation headlines while the fine print gets glossed over."
Florida OFR handles securities oversight. No unusual local Tampa or Hillsborough County restrictions on business transfers.
Securities regulated by Florida Office of Financial Regulation (flofr.gov). Florida follows a comprehensive securities act; Blue Sky notice filings required for Reg D. Florida is a significant enforcement state for unregistered offerings.
In-depth guides to help you prepare for your transaction
State-by-state securities registration requirements and exemptions.
Read guideHow private companies can issue equity compensation under Rule 701.
Read guideFiling requirements for Regulation D offerings at the state level.
Read guideHow reverse mergers work and when they make sense as a path to going public.
Read guideRequirements for selling restricted and control securities.
Read guideAcquisition Stars represents clients across Florida and nationwide. Alex Lubyansky handles every engagement personally.
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"Deal fatigue looks like indifference. And indifference is harder to fix than a bad balance sheet."
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
Alex Lubyansky handles every engagement personally. Tell us about your transaction and we will let you know if there is a fit.
Tell us about your deal. We review every submission and respond within one business day.
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
One attorney on every deal. Nationwide. 15+ years of M&A experience.