On August 28, Jayne Juvan was quoted in Smart Business on the “thaw” in the M&A market caused by COVID-19. Jayne advised that, since diligence is challenged in the current climate, it’s important to consult legal counsel early.

“I say, for sellers, get the lawyers involved as early as possible,” she said, noting that sellers need to focus on getting their business’s house in order.

For buyers, Jayne stressed the importance of doing a “deep dive” to ensure the quality of their targets.

“Have you done background checks on the executives, for example, who own the business, who are selling it to you?” she asked. “In a heavily regulated industry, is there any misconduct that has criminal implications that, even if it’s a pre-closing liability that you’re not assuming, could cause you to get swept up in a governmental investigation? Partnering with legal counsel in order to make sure that you truly understand what you buy is key.”

Read the article here.