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Mergers and Acquisitions Law Definition
Broadly speaking, lawyers who practice Mergers & Acquisitions law help buy and sell businesses. They skillfully and carefully guide clients through a variety of transactions, from large corporate take-over bids, plans of arrangement, amalgamations, and restructurings to pre-retirement sales of a family business.
A merger or acquisition is an important event in the life of a company and all those affected by it. Whether large or small, the merger and acquisition process has intricacies which need to be properly understood and addressed. Transactions must comply with provincial and federal regulatory frameworks. They must receive approval from all necessary government regulators, stockholders, and investors. They have implications in many other areas of law, including corporate, securities, tax, competition, labour, regulatory, environmental, and litigation.
Mergers & Acquisitions lawyers help clients properly understand and address these complexities. They represent clients in negotiations on the structure of the deal. They perform the due diligence required to understand a potential purchase. They draft and otherwise assist with developing the terms of the contract. Importantly, they also provide thoughtful, creative, and strategic advice on all other aspects of transaction. They work to ensure the transaction is smooth, successful, and surprise-free.