Corporate Law

The best way to maximise the value to your business, and ensure the deal runs smoothly, is to put together a carefully planned strategy.  Our corporate solicitors can  help you prepare in advance and guide you through this process, but if you need to seize an opportunity, our lawyers will expedite the process for you.

Whether you are selling a business or considering a significant transaction you’ll need to consider the following:

• Tax and regulatory compliance.
• Ownership of assets (including intangibles) and liabilities
• If financial records are up to date and accurate
• Potential risks, claims or liabilities
• If you are selling, have you optimized key value drivers, whether this is your people, intellectual property, contracts, or brand; can you demonstrate this value to prospective buyers or investors?
• If you are buying/investing, do you have a clear diligence process and how can we help you optimise this?

For more information about buying or selling your business, get in touch with one of our corporate law solicitors today.

An unsolicited approach from a third party to buy your business presents a real opportunity, which often draws business owners into a deal process, with limited time to prepare.  Early advice from a corporate lawyer can avoid expensive mistakes, or damaging distraction. It is not unknown for an attractive initial offer to be scaled back during diligence; so it is important to be clear about the buyer/investors assumptions.  Using an experienced corporate lawyer can save you a lot of time; we have seen most situations before, and understand what it takes to deliver successful deals, with different buyers/investors.

Understanding what a particular buyer or investor may require, and what it may mean for your business is essential.

• Do you have a strong management team, who have the experience to take the business through the next development stage; or
• Do you need help building that team, or filling skills gaps?
• Is it key to retain your distinct business brand and ethos; or
• Do you feel the business needs to evolve as it grows into a more international market?

Depending on your answer to these questions, one deal will suit more than another.  Whilst an unexpected approach may be a great fit, you could decide to control your own route to market, obtaining greater control over the process, in order to see what the best price and fit may be. Speak to one of our corporate law solicitors today for more tailored advice about buying or selling a business.

Our corporate lawyers have experience of a wide range of deals and can share our view of a likely project cost.

We will be open about the cost of a fixed fee, and the ways in which you can share some of the work, if you have time, in order to reduce the cost.

It’s crucial to protect commercially sensitive information during a sale or other transaction.

Appropriate use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) is an important way to help safeguard your data, but is often sensible to withhold trade secrets, and sensitive information, until later in the deal process. NDA’s can also be extended, to prevent staff poaching, including through social media channels. Our corporate law solicitors can explain how NDAs will impact any business transaction and how best to address any potential conflicting issues.