The Attorney for Small Business Buyers and Sellers in Tampa Bay
You built something worth selling — or you're about to buy something worth protecting. Either way, the other side has an attorney. You should too.
I handle mergers and acquisitions for small businesses in the Tampa Bay area: companies with 1 to 50 employees, owner-operated, privately held, and real. Not corporate restructurings. Not private equity rollups. The kind of business where the owner shows up every day and has something genuine at stake in the outcome.
With 30 years of Florida Bar experience focused exclusively on small businesses, I've worked both sides of the table — representing buyers who needed to know what they were actually getting into, and sellers who needed to make sure they got paid and stayed protected after closing. I offer flat-fee pricing on M&A transactions, so you know the cost before you commit.
What's at Stake When You Buy or Sell a Business
Most business buyers underestimate the complexity of what they're purchasing. The price on the letter of intent is just the starting point. What follows — due diligence, purchase agreement structure, lien searches, contract assignments, lease transfers, post-closing obligations — carries legal risk that doesn't announce itself in advance. You don't know what you don't know until it costs you.
Sellers face a different set of risks. The purchase agreement your buyer's attorney drafts is not written to protect you. It's written to protect them. Earnout disputes, post-closing indemnification claims, and liability carryover are all negotiated in that document — and if you don't have representation, you're negotiating against yourself.
The purchase price is what you pay. The attorney fee is what protects it.
Four Services, Four Distinct Situations
Every business transaction has a different structure, a different risk profile, and a different set of priorities. I work with clients across four transaction types, each addressed in detail on its own page.
Business Acquisitions
Buying a business is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll make. I guide buyers through due diligence, asset vs. stock purchase structure, purchase agreement negotiation, and everything that happens between letter of intent and closing day.
Learn About Business Acquisitions
Business Sales
Selling is a transaction you will likely do once. I represent sellers from initial deal structure through final closing, with an eye on post-closing protection — so the deal you close stays closed.
Learn About Business Sales
Business Succession Planning
If you plan to transfer your business to a partner, family member, or key employee, the structure of that transition matters as much as the timeline. I help business owners build succession plans that hold up when the time comes.
Learn About Succession Planning
Buy-Sell Agreements
A buy-sell agreement is the document that governs what happens to a business when a partner exits — voluntarily or otherwise. Without one, you're leaving a critical question unanswered at exactly the wrong moment.
Learn About Buy-Sell Agreements
Flat-Fee M&A Representation — Not Billable Hours
Most M&A attorneys bill by the hour, which means you don't know what your legal fees will be until the invoice arrives. I don't work that way. Flat-fee pricing is available for business sale and acquisition transactions, quoted based on transaction complexity before you commit to anything.
This is part of why small business owners in the Tampa Bay area choose Dowd Law over larger regional firms that focus on bigger deals. My practice is built around the 1–50-employee company. That's the client I understand, and that's the client I price for.
What Florida Small Business Owners Ask About M&A
Do I need an attorney to buy or sell a business in Florida?
Florida law does not require an attorney to complete a business sale, but the practical answer is yes — you need one. A business purchase agreement is a legally binding contract that governs price, structure, representations, warranties, indemnification, and post-closing obligations. Without an attorney reviewing and negotiating that document on your behalf, you are accepting terms written by the other side's lawyer.
What is an asset purchase vs. a stock purchase?
In an asset purchase, the buyer acquires specific assets of the business — equipment, inventory, contracts, goodwill — without assuming the seller's liabilities by default. In a stock purchase, the buyer acquires ownership of the legal entity itself, including its history and liabilities. Most small business transactions are structured as asset purchases, but the right structure depends on the specifics of the deal. This is one of the first decisions we work through together.
How long does a business sale take in Florida?
A straightforward small business sale typically takes 60 to 120 days from signed letter of intent to closing. Transactions involving commercial real estate, SBA financing, complex earnout structures, or significant due diligence findings will take longer. The timeline is driven more by the deal's complexity and the parties' responsiveness than by any legal filing requirement.
What is due diligence in a small business sale?
Due diligence is the buyer's formal investigation of the business before closing. It typically covers financial records, tax returns, contracts, leases, employee agreements, intellectual property, pending litigation, and any liens or encumbrances on the assets. A buyer's attorney uses due diligence findings to negotiate price adjustments, representations, and indemnification terms. If you're the seller, understanding what will be scrutinized — and addressing it before it becomes a negotiating point — is part of good pre-sale preparation.
What makes Dowd Law different from other M&A attorneys in Tampa Bay?
My practice is built specifically around small business transactions. I'm not a corporate M&A firm handling eight-figure deals — I work with owner-operators buying and selling real businesses in the Tampa Bay area. Flat-fee pricing, 30 years of Florida Bar experience, and direct access to the attorney handling your matter from start to finish. If you've been quoted hourly rates by larger regional firms and want a different option, I'm worth a conversation.
Ready to Talk Through Your Transaction?
Whether you're buying, selling, or planning ahead, the earlier you bring an attorney into the process, the better your position at the table. Schedule a consultation and we'll look at where you are and what the right next step is.