how much should attorney charge to draft a purchase contract for a business?

by Kyra Reinger 9 min read

Having an Attorney Review an Agreement: $100-$400+ Having an Attorney Draw Up a Contract: $1,000-$4,500+ A business purchase agreement (or stock purchase agreement for a corporation) is used when a buyer is acquiring an entire business, its assets and its liabilities, including its debts and obligations such as unpaid taxes or potential lawsuits.

Having an attorney draw up a business purchase contract or an asset transfer agreement often requires at least 10-15 hours of the lawyer's time at an hourly rate of $100-$300, for a total of $1,000-$4,500. That's a starting point for a straightforward agreement with revisions.

Full Answer

What determines the cost of a contract lawyer?

Having an attorney draw up a business purchase contract or an asset transfer agreement often requires at least 10-15 hours of the lawyer's time at an hourly rate of $100-$300, for a total of $1,000-$4,500. That's a starting point for a straightforward agreement with revisions.

How much does it cost to hire a lawyer to review contracts?

Mar 27, 2020 · Contract attorneys are free to set their prices in many cases, or their firms do it for them. Some factors that can play into the cost of drafting a contract include: Consultation Fee: Many lawyers will charge for the consultation. In some cases, this is their standard hourly rate, while others may set a special flat fee.

How much does it cost to draft a contract of employment?

If your lawyer charges an hourly rate, you can then do the math. Here are some general guidelines on attorney hours required for the phases involved in a relatively straight-forward small or medium-sized company sale: Drafting and Negotiating Term Sheet, 5 - 10 hours. Drafting and Negotiating Purchase Agreement, 10 - 20 hours.

How much do attorney fees cost?

Jul 23, 2020 · Your lawyer’s experience and current workload. Depending on these, and many more factors, hiring a lawyer to review a contract can be quite steep, ranging from $300 and $1,000. In case you want them to actually draft and negotiate the contract for you, it could get even more expensive, falling somewhere between $500 and $3,000.

image

How much does an asset purchase agreement cost?

Drafting an asset purchase agreement comes with costs, since it requires the time of a trained lawyer to complete the project. ContractsCounsel's marketplace data shows the average asset purchase agreement drafting costs to be $883.92 across all states and industries.Jan 26, 2022

How much does it cost to have a contract written up?

What's the Average Cost of Hiring a Lawyer to Draft a Contract? Contract drafting costs range between $200 and $800 for a simple contract and $1,000 and $5,000 for a complex contract. Contract attorneys can offer hourly or flat fee contract drafting services.Apr 19, 2021

How long does it take to draft a business contract?

The amount of time it takes to draft a contract ultimately depends upon your specific needs. A basic, one-page agreement could take a few days, whereas a lengthy, complex document could take several weeks or months.Aug 17, 2021

How do you draft a purchase agreement?

How to write a real estate purchase agreement.Identify the address of the property being purchased, including all required legal descriptions.Identify the names and addresses of both the buyer and the seller.Detail the price of the property and the terms of the purchase.Set the closing date and closing costs.More items...

How much do lawyers charge to draft a contract in Nigeria?

Usually, most lawyers in Nigeria charges between 5% to 10% of the cost of the property to prepare a deed of assignment. So, for a property being purchased at N20,000,000, a lawyer may charge N1,000,000 (5%) of the cost to prepare deeds and other necessary documents.

How much do lawyers charge to draft a contract in India?

Big law firms are able to charge up to INR 30-40 lakhs in some large deals for negotiating the SHA or SSPA. However, INR 8-10 lakhs are more realistic targets for them as well. In many of these matters, a fixed fee has become the norm though law firms prefer an hourly billing model.Sep 28, 2021

Who will draft contract agreement?

In this regard, legal professionals are considered the safest bet for drafting and/or review of a contract, for they are not only well-versed with the applicable law but being a part of the day to day legal happenings even know the construction and interpretation of certain terms that call for disputes. 2.Nov 6, 2012

Can a draft contract be binding?

When a draft contract becomes a contract Only once all the other paperwork is in order, the date of the transaction is agreed and both you and the seller have signed it does it become a "contract" rather than a "draft contract". However, hold on to your horses, it is still not legally binding.

What should a business contract include?

All business contracts should include fundamentals such as:The date of the contract.The names of all parties or entities involved.Payment amounts and due dates.Contract expiration dates.Potential damages for breach of contract, missed deadlines or incomplete services.

Is a purchase agreement a contract?

In real estate, a purchase agreement is a binding contract between a buyer and seller that outlines the details of a home sale transaction. The buyer will propose the conditions of the contract, including their offer price, which the seller will then either agree to, reject or negotiate.Oct 12, 2021

How do I write a business purchase agreement?

How to Write a Business Purchase Agreement?Step 1 – Parties and Business Information. A business purchase agreement should detail the names of the buyer and seller at the start of the agreement. ... Step 2 – Business Assets. ... Step 3 – Business Liabilities. ... Step 4 – Purchase Price. ... Step 6 – Signatures.

How do I get a sale and purchase agreement?

If you're a buyer or seller looking for a sale and purchase agreement, you'll need to contact your lawyer or conveyancer, a licensed real estate professional or the Auckland District Law Society (ADLS). You can also purchase digital sale and purchase agreement forms online.

What is a business purchase agreement?

A business purchase agreement (or stock purchase agreement for a corporation) is used when a buyer is acquiring an entire business, its assets and its liabilities, including its debts and obligations such as unpaid taxes or potential lawsuits . However, the most common arrangement for buying a small business ...

How long does it take to sell a business?

The process of selling a business takes a minimum of several months. Among other steps, you will want a potential buyer to sign a nondisclosure/confidentiality agreement before providing details about your business operations.

How to prepare a contract?

There are some things you can do to keep preparation fees down. These include: 1 Looking for contract lawyers that offer free consultations 2 Outlining the document in advance, so it is clear to the preparer what you are looking for, reducing the back and forth 3 Selecting a lawyer offering flat fee contract drafting rather than an hourly rate 4 Looking outside of big cities for a contract attorney 5 Choosing a lawyer who isn’t with a firm

What is a corporate attorney?

Corporate and transactional attorney in sixth year of practice. Focus areas include general corporate counsel, labor and employment law, business partnership matters, securities matters related to privately-held companies, and regulatory compliance in securities and finance matters.

Who is Pura Rodriguez?

Pura Rodriguez, JD, MBA is the President and Managing Partner of A Physician’s Firm, based in Miami. She represents healthcare providers from different specialties in a broad range of issues, including contract review, business planning and transactions, mergers and acquisitions, vendor and contract disputes, risk management, fraud and abuse compliance (Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark), HIPAA compliance, medical staff credentialing, employment law, and federal and state regulations. She also assists providers in planning their estates, protecting their assets, and work visa requirements.

Why is there such a variance in pricing?

The reason there is such variance in pricing is that many factors determine the cost of a contract lawyer, from where they got their degree to any overhead they might have. Contract attorneys are free to set their prices in many cases, or their firms do it for them.

Who is Melissa Taylor?

Melissa Taylor, the President and founding partner of Maurer Taylor Law, specializes in business contract review and drafting and is a second-generation attorney with private firm, in-house counsel, governmental, entrepreneurial, and solo practitioner experience. Melissa has a strong legal background, a dedication to customer service, is friendly, warm and communicative, and is particularly skilled at explaining complex legal matters in a way that's easy to understand. Melissa personally handles all client matters from start to finish to ensure client satisfaction.

October 14, 2010

In a recent posting, I outlined what attorneys do to help business people buy and sell companies. An attorney’s role in a company sale includes helping the parties with getting ready for sale, contract negotiation, financing, due diligence review, and closing.

How Much Attorneys Charge to Handle a Company Sale or Purchase?

In a recent posting, I outlined what attorneys do to help business people buy and sell companies. An attorney’s role in a company sale includes helping the parties with getting ready for sale, contract negotiation, financing, due diligence review, and closing.

How to determine the fee of a lawyer?

Just like with any question related to a lawyer’s services, the fee you will pay for a legal professional to look over your contract depends on the lawyer's hourly rate and the contract's complexity. Here are some factors it can depend upon: 1 The length of the contract 2 Your budget 3 What does the attorney need to look for 4 If you need just a review or help with drafting services 5 Your industry 6 Rules and regulations in your industry 7 The amount of money at stake 8 The duration of the contract 9 How much risk are you willing to take on 10 The number of signing parties involved 11 Your lawyer’s experience and current workload

What is issue specific contract review?

An issue-specific contract review is the most economical option if spending money is the most important factor for you. If you are mostly happy with the contract, but not quite clear on some of the specific terms or issues, or need a specific clause of the contract explained, the lawyer will just look over those specific areas of concern. A lawyer can help decipher the legalese and explain those terms in common English so you can figure out if they work for you. You don’t want to sign things you don’t understand, so if you're on a tight budget, but still need the peace of mind, this is a good way to feel more confident before signing the agreement.

What is redlining a contract?

In the legal world, this is known as “redlining a contract”, which can really help the whole process move along more smoothly. In other words, you don’t have to discuss the changes in your agreement with the other party, as they will receive the contract already finished with the option to accept or deny.

Do lawyers charge flat fees?

Each lawyer sets his or her own prices depending on their own level of expertise and the fees they charge can vary greatly from one attorney to the next. Most of the time, however, lawyers use either flat-fee pricing or hourly pricing when they get hired to review a business contract.

Why do you need an attorney to review a contract?

This is because an attorney brings along years of experience and training to guide you. The contract attorney's knowledge can contribute to you getting the best deal possible in the contract you're creating.

What is issue specific contract review?

Issue-specific contract review. An issue-specific contract review is the cheapest form of contract review, as the lawyer will just look over a specific issue you have questions on. If you're on a tight budget, this is a good way to feel more confident before signing the agreement. Some of the specific questions or provisions you might want ...

What is flat free contract review?

It's great for the customer, as you'll just pay a single set fee for contract review, regardless of how long your lawyer works on the project. This pricing system provides a much better idea on how much contract attorneys will charge for their legal advice upfront.

What does a lawyer do?

Basically, your lawyer will handle everything for you, including reviewing, editing, redlining, and negotiating the contract. In serious contracts, negotiating can be difficult, as emotions can get heated between you and the other party. You might just keep going back and forth with neither side giving way.

James Edward Schroeder III

What kind of business contract?#N#Are you looking for an Operating Agreement which will govern how the business will be run between the two of you? OA's outline who will be responsible for what tasks and responsibilities within the business.

Edward Joseph Smeltzer II

The cost depends on how comprehensive an agreement you want created. If you are just looking for someone to form the business and draw up a basic agreement discussing management and division of profits/losses you can likely have this done for between $1000 and $2000 typically on a fixed fee basis.

Elliot S Stomel

While this is not my specialty area, I can tell you that most lawyers will charge an hourly rate for doing this kind of work. Rarely will an attorney do this kind of work for a flat fee. Different lawyers have different hourly rates and will also invest different amounts of time in completing the legal work.

What to ask when hiring an attorney?

When hiring your attorney, ask for a detailed written estimate of any expenses or additional costs. They may itemize each expense out for you or lump their fees all together under different categories of work. Lawyers may bill you for: Advice. Research.

How to avoid disagreements with your attorney?

Either way, most states require evidence of a written fee agreement when handling any disputes between clients and lawyers. You must have written evidence of what you agreed to pay for anyone to hold you accountable for what you have or have not spent.

How to pay retainer fees?

Make sure that your contract includes the details of: 1 Contract – The agreement should list the total amount of any retainer deposit that you pay upfront. It should also state when you need to pay additional fees, if necessary. 2 Hourly Fee – Don't look only for the hourly rate of your lawyer on the agreement. Make sure you also see a description of the different hourly rates for each person who might contribute to your case. Ask for your payment schedule. Ask if you get a discount for early payment or if you pay penalties for late fees. 3 Contingency Fee – In a contingency case, the lawyer profits by the percentage they earn upon winning the case. The lawyer's contingency percentage and the payment-collection process should appear clearly outlined in your agreement. Sometimes, a lawyer will not collect any fees from you if they lose a contingency case, such as in personal injury disputes. In other situations, they may demand payment from their client only if they lose the case. 4 Costs of Suit – Check for clear terms to describe who pays for all of the different litigation costs involved. You should anticipate possible charges for court appearances and filing fees, hiring a private investigator, the cost of bringing in an expert witness, costs for officially serving and delivering legal documents, and travel fees.

What is contingency fee?

An attorney contingency fee is only typical in a case where you're claiming money due to circumstances like personal injury or workers' compensation. You're likely to see attorney percentage fees in these situations to average around a third of the total legal settlement fees paid to the client.

What is statutory fee?

A statutory fee is a payment determined by the court or laws which applies to your case. You'll encounter a fixed statutory fee when dealing with probate or bankruptcy, for example.

Do lawyers charge retainers?

Sometimes lawyers may charge a retainer if they find themselves in high demand. Other lawyers who work more quickly and efficiently may see no need for charging you a retainer fee. Call different lawyers in your area to see if retainers are standard practice for your particular case.

What are the expenses of a lawyer?

Clients may also be responsible for paying some of the attorney or law firm’s expenses including: 1 Travel expenses like transportation, food, and lodging; 2 Mail costs, particularly for packages sent return receipt requested, certified, etc; 3 Administrative costs like the paralegal or secretary work.

What is a written contract?

A written contract also provides evidence if there is ever a dispute between an attorney and a client. Clients should always take their time to review, understand, and ask questions about the attorney fee agreement. Attorneys should never pressure clients to sign on the spot or sign an agreement without reviewing it.

How to resolve a disagreement with a lawyer?

The first step to resolving these disputes is communication . If there is a disagreement, clients and attorneys should first seek to discuss it and try to reach a mutually agreeable solution. Often, small disagreements balloon merely because both the attorney and the client avoided talking to the other out of fear.

Why do attorneys get smaller cut?

For example, the attorney will usually obtain a smaller cut if a settlement was reached before trial – because less time and expense was expended – than if the case goes to trial. When contingency fees are used the fees and costs of the suit are often deducted from the monetary recovery before the percentage is taken.

What is flat rate legal fees?

Flat rate legal fees are when an attorney charges a flat rate for a set legal task. The fee is the same regardless of the number of hours spent or the outcome of the case. Flat rates are increasingly popular and more and more attorneys are willing to offer them to clients.

How much does a retainer agreement cost?

A retainer agreement is an agreement under which the client agrees to pay the attorney a large sum up-front, usually ranging from $2,000 - $10,000 as essentially security for future payments.

What is contingency fee?

Contingency fees are only utilized where there is a dispute, otherwise there would be no objective way to determine whether the attorney had been successful. Contingency fees are most commonly available in automobile accident cases, medical malpractice cases, and debt collection cases.

Accelerate wealth. Build a business that pays freedom. Join more than 70,000 entrepreneurs and register for the Fastlane Entrepreneur forum. Remove ads? Join the INSIDERS

Well I'm putting some stuff together and I have come to the not fun legal part of things.#N#I have no experience with this stuff whatsoever - how much does it cost, generally, to have a contract/agreement/"Terms and Conditions" written?#N#As my service involves bringing buyers and sellers together, I'm pretty sure I would need a VERY solid contract in order to protect my business from problems arising between buyer and seller that don't involve me.

Sponsored Offers

Hi Fox I bought the fox web school program awhile back and it contains so much information that...

Latest Posts

GOLD! A physicist's guide to learning hard things (and using the scientific method)

image