Structuring Deals So They Actually Hold Up
Shmully Zand of Zand & Fine LLC
Getting a deal across the finish line takes more than agreed terms. Contracts need to be structured correctly — and when something goes sideways, someone has to respond.
That’s usually when the legal work actually begins… when the details that weren’t addressed start affecting the deal.
Zand & Fine LLC works on the transactional side of real estate and business — putting agreements in place and guiding them through to closing, with terms defined clearly from the outset.
“There’s two primary aspects of what we do,” said Shmully Zand. “Real estate transactions… and business transactions.”
On the real estate side, the firm steps in once a deal is in motion — whether someone is buying, selling, or financing a property. The team structures the agreement, coordinates with brokers and lenders, and follows the process through closing.
For residential clients, that includes guidance on inspections, insurance, and financing.
The same approach carries into the business side, where Zand’s partner Moshe Fine leads the work — operating agreements, partnerships, and business sales that often begin informally, without clearly defined terms or exit strategies.
“Everybody hopes it works well,” Zand said. “But a lot of times it doesn’t.”
Getting those terms in writing early — including how a partnership ends, not just how it begins — is what matters most when something goes wrong.
Cost is one of the main reasons that work gets delayed. When clients hear hourly legal fees, some put it off. To address that, the firm offers flat-fee arrangements based on scope.
“Show us what we’re dealing with… and we’ll tell you the flat fee,” Zand said. “This way there’s no surprises.”
“The bigger differentiator,” Zand says, “is communication.” He calls it “hyper communication” — real-time contact with every party in a transaction.
“WhatsApp, email, texting… whatever mode of communication you need, we’re on it,” he said. “If you have an issue, we’ll be right with the broker… right with the mortgage broker… to solve the problem.”
Even when something falls outside the firm’s scope, the goal is to keep the process moving — connecting clients with the right people rather than stopping there.
The firm operates with a team of four, working across both real estate and business transactions — which often overlap within the same deals.
Zand has been attending OJBA for several years, focusing on long-term relationships. Connections from the show have turned into clients and referrals.
“Absolutely business has been generated,” he said. “100%.”
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