Can Lawyers Do More to Stop M&A Failures?

Tom Waldman, a shareholder in Stradling’s Corporate practice group, was quoted in an article published by The American Lawyer, “Can Lawyers Do More to Stop M&A Failures?” Legal advisors have the ability to increase the odds of a client’s success when things go awry. Although lawyers are not to blame when deals fall through, there is a lot they can do to increase the odds that a transaction is successful. “One thing lawyers can do is not accept what is put in front of them as the entire set of facts they need to know,” said Tom Waldman. “They need to be able to understand the industry and ask the right questions.” Ultimately, it comes down to the combination of care and judgment that lawyers can provide. “A lot of times, lawyers can’t control the outcome of M&A, but lawyers can add value through their experience with multiple transactions and just through planning and process,” he said. “The legend of some deal-makers is that they sketch it out on a napkin. But the reality is more complicated.” Read the full article here.