Founding Partner · Law firm
Barlow & Williams
Remote, nationwide
Barlow & Williams is the law firm Founding Partner of San Diego ETA. Founded in 2021, it is a boutique M&A firm serving the SMB and lower middle market, and M&A is the only thing it does. Almost every engagement is priced as a flat fee rather than billed hourly.
What they do
- Buy-side representation for searchers and roll-ups: LOI through purchase agreement and close
- Sell-side representation for owners exiting
- Legal diligence and deal structuring
- Flat-fee pricing on almost every engagement, quoted up front
Why they are in this room
Deal lawyers who only do deals are rare at this size, and hourly billing is how first-time buyers end up afraid to call their attorney at the exact moment they should. A flat fee removes that hesitation. Both partners came out of Harvard Law and larger-firm M&A practices, and now work the size of deal this room actually buys.
Related resource
Free LOI generator. Built by Jed at Searcher School, and free to use. It drafts a starting letter of intent. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for having Barlow & Williams read the thing before you sign it.
What a Founding Partner is, and is not
Barlow & Williams holds the law firm seat, which is category-exclusive: one firm per category, five in total. Founding Partners cover the cost of the monthly meetup, which is why it is free for buyers to attend.
What that does not buy is the stage. Nobody pitches from the front, partners included. The club does not take a referral fee, does not share attendee contact details, and does not recommend a partner over anyone else you might hire. Listing here is disclosure, not endorsement. Do your own diligence on any firm you engage, including these.
Questions about the roster or the open SBA lender seat? Write to hello@sdetaclub.com.