Strategic Transactions / Joint Venture
A joint venture can align capabilities and capital—but only when the parties make the hard decisions about control, economics and separation before launch.
~5 MINUTES · 19 QUESTIONS · INSTANT RESULTS
Readiness review
01 Structure and ownership
02 Authority and risk allocation
03 Execution and next steps
Who it is for
For established businesses, founders, investors and strategic partners considering a shared venture, co-investment structure or long-term commercial collaboration.
Review scope
A practical screen for the issues most likely to affect the next decision.
01 Strategic fit
Test whether the parties share a clear purpose, compatible incentives and a workable definition of success.
02 Contributions
Define the money, assets, people, relationships, intellectual property and other resources each party will provide.
03 Governance
Establish the operating structure, reporting expectations and oversight needed to manage the venture.
04 Economics
Surface funding, distributions, capital calls, fees, ownership and the economics of future value.
05 Decision rights
Clarify reserved matters, approval thresholds and authority to act for the venture.
06 Deadlock, exit + risk
Plan for impasse, transfer restrictions, exit rights, liability boundaries and allocation of operating risk.
Defined scope / clear starting point
RAETZER offers defined fixed-fee packages for qualifying private-capital, M&A, joint-venture, and corporate-infrastructure matters. The packages are designed to give prospective clients an informed starting point before an attorney reviews the specific transaction.
Final package eligibility, scope, and fee are confirmed only after completion of the applicable readiness assessment, conflicts review, jurisdictional review, attorney consultation, and execution of a written engagement agreement.
Transaction map
Parties → Shared entity
Joint-venture pricing assumes that the principals can identify or agree upon the principal business terms. If the economics, control structure, contributions, or exit rights remain materially unresolved, a separate paid structuring phase may be required before definitive drafting begins.
Indicative fixed-fee packages for qualifying matters. Final eligibility, scope, and fee are confirmed after the applicable readiness assessment, conflicts review, and an initial attorney consultation.
All engagements remain subject to conflicts review, attorney review, scope confirmation, and a written engagement agreement. Government fees, third-party costs, local counsel, tax advisers, accountants, filing fees, and specialty counsel are not included unless expressly stated.
Package 1
FLAT LEGAL FEE For qualifying standard-scope matters.
Best for
two parties, one U.S. JV, a clear purpose, and simple economics.
Principal inclusions
Initial structure consultation
One term sheet/business-term summary
One U.S. entity formation
Customized operating/JV agreement
Standard capital/governance/transfer/exit provisions
Organizational consents/closing book
Assumptions: two parties, one U.S. entity, one project/operating business, agreed terms, simple economics, no passive investors, preferred return/promote/waterfall, or material financing/guaranty/real estate/IP licensing.
Package 2
MOST COMMON
FLAT LEGAL FEE For qualifying standard-scope matters.
Best for
a two/three-party JV with negotiated governance, capital calls, non-pro-rata economics, ongoing services, exit, or deadlock.
Principal inclusions
Governance/reserved matters
Capital calls/default remedies
Non-pro-rata economics
Deadlock/buy-sell/call/put/exit
IP/confidentiality/restrictive/business opportunity
Up to two related agreements
Assumes a maximum of three parties, one entity, and two related agreements.
Multiple entities, complex investors/economics, guaranties, financing, passive investors, real estate, or unresolved terms require supplemental/custom scope.
Package 3
Final fee confirmed after attorney review.
Best for
a multi-party, multi-entity, real-estate, development, sponsor-capital, or strategically complex JV.
Principal inclusions
Up to four parties
Multiple cash/property/service/contract/IP contributions
Preferred return/promote/carried interest/waterfall
Multi-entity structure
Guaranty/indemnification/management/
development
Complex liquidity/forced sale/buyout/ dissolution
Starting price depends on parties/entities/contributions/economics/financing/guaranties/ancillary/regulatory/
negotiation.
Excludes unless added: securities documents, external raise, acquisition/disposition, loan/security, real estate closing, tax opinions, foreign law, litigation/contested ownership.
Illustrative milestone billing, subject to written engagement agreement: Illustrative milestone billing: 40% at engagement; 30% at completion of the LOI/diligence phase or initial definitive agreement; 30% at signing or closing. If the transaction terminates, fees earned through the completed milestone remain payable.
Next step
Complete the applicable RAETZER readiness assessment. Your responses will help identify the likely scope, urgency, complexity, decision authority, and appropriate next step before you speak with an attorney.
The prices shown are indicative fixed fees or starting prices for qualifying matters. Final eligibility, scope, staffing, and fee are confirmed only after the applicable readiness assessment, conflicts review, jurisdictional review, attorney consultation, and execution of a written engagement agreement.
Each fixed fee is based on the parties, entities, documents, transaction structure, revision rounds, closing assumptions, and other limitations stated in the engagement agreement. A material change in the matter may require a supplemental fixed fee or an approved hourly scope.
Additional parties, entities, targets, bidders, investors, security classes, or closings
Material changes to economics or structure
Extraordinary diligence or negotiation
Repeated re-trading of agreed terms
Substantial corporate cleanup or missing records
Compressed or expedited deadlines
Specialty tax, regulatory, employment, benefits, real-estate, environmental, antitrust, litigation, or foreign-law issues
Restarting a transaction after termination or material delay
Government filing fees, state notice fees, foreign or local counsel, accountants, tax advisers, investment bankers, business brokers, lenders, appraisers, valuation providers, data-room providers, expert consultants, translators, and other third-party costs are not included unless expressly stated.
Legal fees are earned according to the milestones stated in the engagement agreement and are not contingent upon raising capital, obtaining financing, signing a transaction, or completing a closing.
RAETZER does not guarantee capital, financing, investors, acquisition targets, buyers, sellers, valuation, transaction approval, or closing.
RAETZER does not act as a broker-dealer, placement agent, investment banker, business broker, lender, accountant, tax adviser, valuation provider, or foreign-law adviser unless a separate written agreement expressly states otherwise.
Non-contractual note: Formal engagement letters govern and summarize these principles: one transaction/project; defined entities/parties/documents; ordinary negotiation only with material restructuring supplemental; defined revision rounds; exclusions for litigation/tax/accounting/valuation/regulatory/real-estate/environmental/benefits/foreign law unless included; third-party/government fees separate; delay/term changes permit supplemental fee; additional closings/investors/targets/bidders/entities/documents separately priced; fees earned by milestones and not contingent; additional work only after written approval of supplemental fixed fee/hourly scope. Formal engagement letters govern.
Pricing and package descriptions are provided for general informational purposes and do not constitute an offer to provide legal services. No attorney-client relationship is created through the website or an assessment submission. Representation begins only after conflicts review and execution of a written engagement agreement.
Before you begin
This assessment is provided solely for educational, informational and screening purposes. It is not legal advice, does not determine legal compliance or establish that a transaction or corporate initiative is “ready” under applicable law, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not submit confidential or privileged information. Representation begins only after conflicts review and execution of a written engagement agreement.
A considered first step
Before legal work begins, identify the transaction, urgency, complexity, decision authority, and principal readiness issues.
The next decision

RAETZER PLLC
Sophisticated counsel for the decisions that move a business forward — from first formation through its next chapter.
Offices
224 W 35th St, Suite 500 #2320
New York, NY 10001
1910 Pacific Ave, Suite 2000 #1625
Dallas, TX 75201
Contact
(726) 243-4308
[email protected]
https://www.raetzerlaw.com/
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