Mergers & acquisitions

M&A transactions are often complex and can involve a significant number of other individuals, organisations and agencies.

We work proactively and collaboratively with our client and their other professional advisers to ensure that the client's M&A goals are achieved - that the deal is completed on the best achievable terms within the shortest possible timescale.

Our lawyers have a wealth of experience in advising clients on the acquisition of shares and businesses across all market sectors and across many jurisdictions.

We work closely with our clients and their other professional advisers to identify the most appropriate structure for the acquisition from both a commercial and tax perspective.

The viability of most M&A deals will hinge on the underlying risks associated with acquiring the target company or its assets. Working with our client and alongside their tax and accountancy advisers, we carry out detailed due diligence exercises designed to enable the buyer to gain a complete picture of the target and, in particular, to identify areas of risk or liability.

In addition to our experience in the UK M&A market, we have considerable experience of advising clients on cross border acquisitions. In recent years, we have advised on acquisitions involving companies in many parts of Europe as well as companies in the United States, India and Africa.

Work experience/case studies:

• We advised fully listed Norwegian client Blom ASA on its £7 million acquisition of a South West business. This acquisition had to be completed within a very tight timescale due to the client's stock market requirements.
• We advised a longstanding client on its £9 million acquisition of a division of a company in the agricultural sector. This deal involved an extensive due diligence exercise carried out in tandem with our client's "big four" accountants.
• We advised the shareholders of Electrotech (which was renamed Trikon Technologies Inc) on the sale of its shares to US buyer Plasma Technologies Inc, the purchase funded by $150m issue raised on NASDAQ. Subsequently, we advised Trikon Technologies, Inc on the UK law aspects of its merger with US buyer Aviza Group, working closely with US law firm Wilson Sonsini.