12. M&A Series – Part 2: The Hidden Legal Landmines That Kill HVAC Deals Mary Ellen Reihsen on Employment Law Mistakes
Description
This is Part 2 of our 3-part series The Exit Blueprint: M&A Strategy for HVAC Leaders.
You think your business is sale-ready because the P&L looks clean? Think again.
In this episode, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Mary Ellen Reihsen, Partner at Hellmuth & Johnson, to reveal the legal traps that kill HVAC M&A deals during due diligence—and the people-first legal strategies that actually protect your valuation.
They discuss:
- Why employment shortcuts resurface (and cost millions) during M&A due diligence
- What “instant unemployment” means when your company sells—and how to structure retention
- The real math behind turnover vs. retention during private equity deals
- How to legally protect institutional knowledge ("The Bob Problem")
- What goes in a well-drafted employment agreement in today’s post non-compete world
Mary Ellen brings both legal insight and grounded perspective to the process—and breaks down exactly how HVAC business owners can prepare for a clean, confident exit.
Referenced Links:
Mary Ellen Reihsen – Hellmuth & Johnson
Email Mary Ellen Reihsen: mreihsen@hjlawfirm.com
Women in HVACR: https://www.womeninhvacr.org
Quote to Remember: "
Everybody is unemployed for that instant. It feels jarring, but it’s a legal reset—and you have to prepare for it."
– Mary Ellen Reihsen
United States
