Chad Gottlieb - How a business first approach to law is transforming M&A

Is your M&A transaction at risk because your legal team isn’t truly business-minded? What if the right law firm could not only protect your deal—but actively make it better?In this episode, Chad Gottlieb, Partner at Darrow Everett, joins Patrick Stroth to share how a business-first approach to law is transforming M&A outcomes for founders, private equity firms, and independent sponsors in the lower middle market.You’ll discover…• Why being “proactive, not reactive” is the most important principle any M&A attorney can live by• How Darrow Everett grew from fewer than 20 attorneys to nearly 70—fueled by responsiveness and white-glove service• The waterfall mechanics mistake that nearly derailed a deal—and how Chad’s team caught it in time• Why lower middle market sellers are often blindsided by post-closing indemnity obligations—and what to do about it• How Seller Protect (the new rep and warranty product from Lloyd’s of London) is finally making M&A insurance accessible for deals under $30 million• What AI, secondary transactions, and pre-IPO activity mean for the M&A landscape heading into 2026