{"id":37205,"date":"2021-07-01T22:21:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T22:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/?post_type=publications&#038;p=37205"},"modified":"2025-10-03T22:22:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T22:22:05","slug":"controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions","status":"publish","type":"publications","link":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/","title":{"rendered":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dinsmore partner Mark Boos was recently published in <a href=\"https:\/\/mydigitalpublication.com\/publication\/?m=29447&amp;i=707013&amp;p=18&amp;ver=html5\">NPCA Marketer <\/a>with his article &#8220;Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions&nbsp;(Part 1),&#8221; an excerpt of which is below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The so-called &#8220;rule of liability&#8221;(the Rule) is straightforward: The buyer of the assets of a business is not responsible for the debts and liabilities of the sellers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This principle has long been one of the reasons buyers elect to purchase the&nbsp;assets of a seller rather than acquiring the seller itself in a merger for example.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The protection afforded by the Rule is far from absolute, however. There are an increasing number of exceptions, any of which can result in a buyer inheriting some or all of the seller&#8217;s liabilities, even in an asset deal. In short, just because you elect to purchase the real estate and inventory of an e-store operator or the supply contracts of a&nbsp;distributor, rather than the stock or membership interests of that operator or distributor itself, does not necessarily mean you&#8217;ll take them free and clear of seller liabilities.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydigitalpublication.com\/publication\/?m=29447&amp;i=707013&amp;p=18&amp;ver=html5\">https:\/\/mydigitalpublication.com\/publication\/?m=29447&amp;i=707013&amp;p=18&amp;ver=html5<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dinsmore partner Mark Boos was recently published in NPCA Marketer with his article &#8220;Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions&nbsp;(Part 1),&#8221; an excerpt of which is below. The so-called &#8220;rule of liability&#8221;(the Rule) is straightforward: The buyer of the assets of a business is not responsible for the debts and liabilities of the sellers. This principle\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"publication-type":[8],"class_list":["post-37205","publications","type-publications","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","publication-type-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.5 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions - Dinsmore &amp; Shohl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore &amp; Shohl LLP.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore &amp; Shohl LLP.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dinsmore &amp; Shohl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-03T22:22:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/\",\"name\":\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions - Dinsmore &amp; Shohl\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-01T22:21:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-03T22:22:05+00:00\",\"description\":\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/\",\"name\":\"Dinsmore & Shohl\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Dinsmore & Shohl\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dinsmore-Final-Logo-Navy.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dinsmore-Final-Logo-Navy.svg\",\"width\":413,\"height\":54,\"caption\":\"Dinsmore & Shohl\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions - Dinsmore &amp; Shohl","description":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions","og_description":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/","og_site_name":"Dinsmore &amp; Shohl","article_modified_time":"2025-10-03T22:22:05+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/","name":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions - Dinsmore &amp; Shohl","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg","datePublished":"2021-07-01T22:21:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-03T22:22:05+00:00","description":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions Read insights and legal analysis from attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Succession-Article-Banner.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/publications\/controlling-successor-liability-in-asset-acquisitions\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Controlling Successor Liability in Asset Acquisitions"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/","name":"Dinsmore & Shohl","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#organization","name":"Dinsmore & Shohl","url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dinsmore-Final-Logo-Navy.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dinsmore-Final-Logo-Navy.svg","width":413,"height":54,"caption":"Dinsmore & Shohl"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications\/37205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/publications"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications\/37205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37227,"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications\/37205\/revisions\/37227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37205"},{"taxonomy":"publication-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dinsmore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication-type?post=37205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}