LOI Attorney in Illinois

By Alex Lubyansky Managing Partner Last updated October 8, 2026

Acquisition Stars advises buyers and sellers on loi attorney matters across Illinois.

Serving clients across Illinois.

LOI Attorney Practice in Illinois

Acquisition Stars advises buyers and sellers on loi attorney matters across Illinois. Alex Lubyansky leads every engagement, and has been M&A counsel since 2013 across transactions of varying complexity, from lower-middle-market deals to multi-party structures.

Illinois Transaction Considerations

Illinois's Freedom to Work Act imposes detailed procedural requirements (14-day review period, written advisement to consult counsel) that must be evaluated when assessing a target company's non-compete portfolio
Chicago imposes its own transaction taxes and licensing requirements that can affect M&A deal costs for businesses operating in the city
Illinois does not allow combined unitary reporting, which means buyers need to evaluate each entity in a target group separately for state tax purposes

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Illinois Legal Framework for Letter of Intent Law

Non-Compete Agreements

The LOI should state the seller covenant in terms the state will enforce, or the term sheet promises what the purchase agreement cannot deliver.

Restricted by salary threshold ($75,000+). Mandatory 14-day review period.

Restricted by the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (effective January 1, 2022). Non-compete agreements are prohibited for employees earning $75,000 or less annually (threshold increases by $5,000 every five years). Non-solicitation agreements are prohibited for employees earning $45,000 or less. Employers must advise employees to consult an attorney before signing, with a 14-day review period. The sale-of-business exception is preserved.

Tax Considerations

Tax clearance and successor liability rules decide which closing conditions the LOI should reserve.

According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, corporations other than S corporations pay 7% income tax plus 2.5% replacement tax, a combined 9.5% before other adjustments. S corporations and partnerships have different treatment. Review entity classification, apportionment and reporting obligations before comparing transaction structures.

Filing Requirements

Spousal consent, entity filings, and clearance certificates belong on the LOI's closing-deliverables list.

Entity mergers and conversions are filed with the Illinois Secretary of State, Business Services Department. Bulk asset purchases require notification to the Department of Revenue and obtaining Form ST-4 clearance. The Illinois Securities Department may need to be notified for certain stock transactions.

Bulk Sales / Asset Purchases

Creditor notice periods set the earliest closing date the LOI can promise.

Illinois has repealed UCC Article 6 (Bulk Sales). However, the Illinois Department of Revenue can impose successor liability on asset purchasers for the seller's unpaid sales, use, and withholding taxes under 35 ILCS 120/5j. Buyers must obtain a tax clearance letter (Form ST-4) before closing.

The federal framework for a letter of intent

A letter of intent sets the framework for a business sale before either side commits real money to due diligence. It records the price and structure the parties have agreed to explore, sets an exclusivity period that keeps the seller from shopping the deal elsewhere, and lays out a target closing calendar the rest of the transaction will be built around.
Most of an LOI's business terms are deliberately non-binding, subject to what diligence and the definitive agreement negotiation later confirm. A narrower set of provisions, typically exclusivity, confidentiality, and any expense reimbursement or break-up provision, do bind the parties from signature. Which category a given term falls into is the question worth resolving before signing, not after.

A letter of intent can start the antitrust clock

An HSR-reportable acquisition cannot close until both parties file and the waiting period, 30 days after filing or 15 for a cash tender offer, ends, under 15 U.S.C. 18a. From February 17, 2026 the threshold is $133.9 million; exemptions can exclude a deal. Outside 16 CFR 801.30, filing requires an executed contract, agreement in principle or letter of intent and the affidavit in 16 CFR 803.5(b).

Sources: 15 U.S.C. 18a(a), 15 U.S.C. 18a(b)(1)(B), 16 CFR 803.5(b), FTC, New HSR Thresholds and Filing Fees for 2026

Confirm the current filing form before relying on the LOI

The FTC states that it is accepting HSR filings on the form and instructions that were in place before February 10, 2025, after a federal district court vacated the 2025 form on February 12, 2026 and the court of appeals denied a stay on March 19, 2026. Filers may still use the 2025 form voluntarily. The current text of 16 CFR 803.5(b) requires an affidavit that a contract, agreement in principle or letter of intent has been executed and that the filer intends in good faith to complete the transaction. It also still contains the dated-document attestation added in 2025. Because the appeal is pending, counsel confirms the accepted form, instructions and affidavit wording on the FTC premerger page at filing time. A letter of intent meant to support an early filing should describe the parties, structure and scope clearly enough to match what the filing describes.

Sources: FTC, HSR Notification Forms, Instructions & Guidance, 16 CFR 803.5(b)

Diligence focus for a letter of intent

Exclusivity period length measured against a realistic diligence and financing timeline
Which specific provisions bind at signature versus remain open to negotiation
Break-up fee or expense reimbursement triggers if either side walks away
Price and structure language written so the definitive agreement can actually deliver it
Confidentiality scope for materials shared before a definitive agreement is signed

Other M&A and Securities Services in Illinois

Acquisition Stars handles M&A transactions for Illinois clients and works with securities counsel on securities matters. Alex Lubyansky leads every M&A engagement.

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Alex Lubyansky leads every letter of intent law engagement, with an associate supporting the work.

M&A counsel since 2013. Nationwide practice. LOI through closing.

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