Business acquisitions, disposals and transfers
A single point of contact to manage the entire transaction
An acquisition-led growth transaction, disposal, business takeover or reorganisation requires rigorous coordination of numerous professionals and multiple legal, financial and operational stages.
Our law firms in Bordeaux and Porto support business leaders, investors and corporate groups at every phase of the transaction, in both France and Portugal. Every client benefits from a single point of contact, responsible for overseeing the project as a whole, coordinating the professionals involved and ensuring consistent decisions throughout the process.
Conducting legal audits and due diligence
A successful acquisition or disposal depends on a thorough understanding of the risks, opportunities and commitments associated with the business concerned.
The firm conducts or oversees legal audits (due diligence) covering corporate, contractual, property, employment, regulatory, intellectual property and litigation matters, among others. These reviews identify sensitive issues that may affect valuation, warranties or the conditions for completing the transaction.
Our teams also prepare and negotiate all the necessary legal documentation, including confidentiality agreements, letters of intent, acquisition agreements, asset and liability warranties, shareholders' agreements and governance documents.
Comprehensive coordination of the professionals involved
Alongside legal assistance, we coordinate all the professionals participating in the transaction to give the client centralised, effective management of the project.
Depending on the requirements, the firm works closely with qualified accountants, statutory auditors, tax advisers, investment banks, financial institutions, auditors, specialist consultants and other advisers involved in the transaction.
This approach gives business leaders and investors a single point of contact who can centralise communications, monitor the various specialist contributions and facilitate decision-making.
Safeguarding the transaction through to completion
Signing the documents is generally only one stage of the project. Conditions precedent, administrative approvals, financing, internal reorganisations, post-acquisition integration and the allocation of powers between shareholders often require further support.
Our law firms provide legal follow-up through to full completion of the transaction and coordinate the corporate, commercial and administrative formalities required in the jurisdictions concerned.
Where a transaction has an international dimension, we coordinate the work required between France, Portugal and the other Member States of the European Union to ensure legal certainty and the overall coherence of the project.
Our areas of practice
- Legal audits and due diligence for acquisitions or disposals.
- Legal structuring of acquisition-led growth transactions.
- Negotiating and drafting contractual documentation.
- Acquisition and disposal of company shares and other equity interests.
- Acquisition and disposal of businesses as going concerns or assets.
- Distribution, franchise and business introduction agreements;
- Shareholders' agreements, governance and post-transaction organisation.
- Coordination with accountants, banks and auditors.
- Legal and administrative completion formalities.
- Cross-border transactions between France, Portugal and the other European Union countries.
An approach focused on business leaders and results
Drawing on both legal and entrepreneurial experience, we favour a pragmatic approach grounded in an understanding of the transaction's economic issues. Our aim is to enable business leaders and investors to pursue their development, succession or investment projects within a legally secure framework, with the clarity and peace of mind needed for a successful transaction.