Succession Planning and Exit Strategies

Helping business owners prepare for future investment, sale or succession by putting the right legal and commercial foundations in place.

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Planning for the future of a business is often most effective when it begins well before a sale, investment or handover is expected to take place. Early preparation can give business owners more options, help identify potential obstacles and ensure the parties are better positioned when the right opportunity arises. By considering these issues now, we can anticipate what buyers or investors may look for, which can save time and money in the long run, strengthen negotiating positions and avoid any preparatory work having to be rushed through at the last minute,

DTM Legal advises business owners, shareholders and management teams and key decision makers on succession planning and exit strategies, whether the objective is to sell the business, attract external investment, complete a management buyout or transfer ownership to the next generation.

Our Corporate & Commercial solicitors work alongside your accountants, tax advisers, corporate finance professionals and other advisers to review the legal foundations of the business and identify where changes may be required. This can include reviewing ownership structures, key contracts, shareholder arrangements and corporate records to help prepare the business for its next stage.

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Succession Planning and Exit Strategy Legal Services

We advise businesses and their owners on a wide range of succession and exit planning matters, including:

  • Preparing businesses for a future sale or investment
  • Reviewing existing company and group structures
  • Business and corporate reorganisations
  • Reviewing share structures and ownership arrangements
  • Management succession planning
  • Family business succession
  • Management buyouts and buy-ins
  • Shareholder exits and changes in ownership
  • Reviewing and updating shareholders’ agreements
  • Reviewing articles of association and constitutional documents
  • Reviewing key commercial contracts
  • Identifying intellectual property ownership and protection issues
  • Reviewing statutory records and corporate documentation
  • Preparing businesses for legal due diligence
  • Supporting investment and funding transactions
  • Business sales, mergers and acquisitions
  • Working with tax, accounting and corporate finance advisers on wider succession strategies

Why Instruct DTM Legal?

Successful and exit planning requires an understanding of both where the business is today and what its owners ultimately want to achieve. Our Corporate & Commercial Team takes the time to understand your personal and commercial objectives before advising on the legal steps that may help you prepare for the future.

We provide practical advice focused on identifying and resolving issues early. By reviewing matters such as ownership structures, shareholder arrangements, contracts and corporate records in advance, businesses can often avoid unnecessary delays or complications when an investment, sale or succession opportunity arises.

We also work closely with your wider professional advisory team to help ensure the legal aspects of your succession or exit strategy support the relevant tax, financial and commercial planning. Our aim is to help you put the business in the strongest possible position for the next stage.

We provide:

  • Practical and commercially focused succession planning advice
  • Early identification of legal issues that could affect a future transaction
  • Strategic support aligned with your longer-term objectives
  • Advice on ownership and corporate structures
  • Reviews of key business contracts and corporate documentation
  • Coordination with accountants, tax advisers and other professionals
  • Ongoing support as your succession or exit plans develop

Get in Touch

Whether you are starting to consider your long-term plans or actively preparing your business for sale, investment or succession, our Corporate & Commercial Team can help you identify the steps needed to prepare for the future.

To speak to a member of the team, contact the Corporate & Commercial Team on 01244 354 800 / 0151 321 0000 or email corporate@dtmlegal.com.

Key Contact
Head of Corporate & Commercial
DTM Legal
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Key Considerations When Planning Business Succession or an Exit

Considering your objectives and the current position of the business at an early stage can help identify the legal and practical steps needed to prepare for a future transaction or handover. Read our Key Considerations guide to understand some of the points a solicitor may wish to discuss when responding to your enquiry. It can help you prepare the relevant information and make your initial conversation more productive.

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DTM Legal
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Corporate & Commercial Team

Edward Barnes

Head of Corporate & Commercial
Alison Brennan

Head of Compliance and Service Delivery
Phil Whitehurst

Partner / Corporate & Commercial
Beth Olumese

Legal Secretary, Trusts & Estates

Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly asked questions for businesses considering succession planning and exit strategies.

It is generally beneficial to begin planning well before you expect a sale or handover to take place. Early preparation gives you more time to review the structure of the business, address gaps in documentation and resolve issues that could affect a future transaction.

Even where there is no fixed exit date, putting appropriate structures and processes in place can give business owners greater flexibility when an unexpected investment or acquisition opportunity arises.

Buyers and investors will usually want to understand the ownership, financial position and legal arrangements of the business before committing to a transaction.

Clear corporate records, well-drafted commercial contracts, properly documented intellectual property rights and appropriate shareholder arrangements can all help demonstrate that the business is well managed and reduce the number of issues raised during due diligence.

 

Succession planning may involve reviewing how ownership and management will transfer, who will take responsibility for running the business and whether changes to the existing corporate structure are required.

It may also involve updating shareholder arrangements, putting appropriate contracts in place and working with tax and financial advisers to ensure the proposed transition is commercially workable.

No. Business owners often begin succession planning without having decided whether they will sell, seek investment, complete a management buyout or pass the business to the next generation.

Early legal advice can help you understand the different routes available and identify steps that may preserve flexibility while you develop your longer-term plans.

Yes. Our Corporate & Commercial team can support you from the early planning stages through to the eventual transaction.

This may include reorganising the business, reviewing contracts and corporate records, preparing for due diligence and ultimately advising on the legal documentation required for a business sale, investment, management buyout or other change in ownership.

What our Clients Say

See what our customers have to say about their experience

Review Solicitors Stars
5/5 350+Reviews
Jason Edwards
21/05/2026
We have been a long-standing customer of DTM for many years and would highly recommend. Friendly, professional and great to deal with.
Mark Brooks Lewis
21/05/2026
Alison Brennan is the single most helpful lawyer I have worked with in my professional career. Despite how busy she is, Alison always finds time (and patience) to help our team. She was a critical support agent in our early journey and one of the reasons behind our success. I would not hesitate to recommend her and the wider DTM team.
Evie
31/10/2023
DTM Legal’s team has our complete confidence in carrying out work promptly and efficiently. Their commitment to achieving the highest standards is evident in everything they do.

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