3-Part Series Introduction – How Accountants Steer M&A—A Lawyer’s Insight
This is a three-part series exploring how lawyers and accountants can work together to drive better outcomes in M&A transactions. Whether you’re a business owner preparing for a sale or an advisor guiding clients through the process, this series offers practical insights into how cross-disciplinary collaboration strengthens deals from start to finish.
Mergers and acquisitions are rarely just about the headline numbers or the legal fine print. They’re complex, high-stakes transactions that demand insight, precision, and trust across disciplines. And if there’s one truth I’ve learned as an M&A lawyer, it’s this: the best deals happen when lawyers and accountants work together from the very beginning.
This series is written for business owners navigating the complexities of a transaction, and for the accountants who support them every step of the way. I want to highlight how accounting professionals contribute to stronger, more efficient deals, and why their involvement is essential from start to finish.
This isn’t a guide to accounting, and it’s not legal instruction. It’s a perspective from our side of the table as lawyers who’ve worked closely with accountants across countless transactions. Time and again, I’ve seen how their insights shape deal structure, uncover risks, and protect value. When legal and accounting teams collaborate early and often, business owners benefit, with smoother closings, clearer outcomes, and fewer surprises.
Each of the three posts in this series explores a different phase of the M&A lifecycle, from early structuring and diligence to representations and warranties, purchase price adjustments, integration, and tax strategy. You’ll find real-world examples and practical insights that highlight how accounting and legal teams complement each other in the dealmaking process.
Over the years, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the role accountants play in getting deals done right. When we collaborate early, communicate clearly, and bring our respective strengths to the table, we don’t just close deals, we build better ones.
The series kicks off with Part 1, “From LOI to Diligence — Why Accountants Are Essential Early and Often”.