Protect Your Business
What Happens to Your Business If Something Happens to You?
Without a succession plan, a business you have spent years building can be disrupted, undervalued, or forced into court. We help owners plan ownership transitions before they become emergencies.
Schedule a ConsultationWhy Alex's approach is different
Alex brings a corporate strategy background to business succession work. Before law, he worked in corporate strategy and business development, which means he understands how businesses are structured, how ownership interests are valued, and how governance decisions affect operations. That background matters when the legal plan and the operational reality of a business need to align.
Business succession planning sits at the intersection of the estate plan, the entity structure, and the financial plan. We coordinate all three rather than treating them as separate problems.
Buy-sell agreements
Controls what happens to a co-owner's interest at death, disability, or departure.
Trust integration
Business interests held or transferred through the estate plan correctly.
Entity review
Operating agreements and shareholder agreements updated to reflect succession intent.
Without a plan, courts and creditors decide
A business owner who dies or becomes incapacitated without a succession plan leaves the business vulnerable to forced sale, partner disputes, probate delays, and family conflict. The time to plan is before any of this happens.
Frequently asked questions
What is business succession planning?
Business succession planning determines what happens to your business interest when you retire, become incapacitated, or die. Without a plan, a closely held business can face forced liquidation, disputes among heirs, or an unplanned sale at a disadvantaged price. A succession plan sets out who takes ownership, how it is valued, and how the transition is funded.
What documents are typically involved?
A complete business succession plan usually includes a buy-sell agreement (or amendments to an existing one), updated entity operating or shareholder agreements, and coordination with the estate plan to ensure business interests are held or transferred correctly. Life insurance is often used to fund buyouts.
What is a buy-sell agreement?
A buy-sell agreement is a contract between business owners that controls what happens to a co-owner's interest if they die, become disabled, retire, or want to sell. It sets a valuation method, identifies who can buy the interest, and specifies how the purchase is funded. Without one, a deceased owner's heirs may become unwanted business partners.
Should my business interest be in my living trust?
In many cases, yes. The answer depends on the entity type, your operating agreement, and your goals. LLC interests and S-corporation stock have specific rules about trust ownership. We coordinate the business succession plan and the estate plan together so ownership transfers work as intended.
When should I start succession planning?
As soon as you have a business worth protecting. The best time is before any triggering event: death, disability, or a partner dispute. Succession planning done under pressure produces worse outcomes and costs more.
Protect what you have built
Bring your current entity documents to the consultation. We'll review them and outline what a succession plan requires.