The due diligence process should be commenced as early as possible in the transaction in order for the major issues and potential pitfalls to be identified and tackled forthwith as this will have a bearing on the structure of the transaction, terms and warranties. Very often, legal due diligence is conducted in parallel with financial due diligence, as the legal due diligence may well serve as a check on the conclusions of the financial due diligence.

CCA advises in the area of mergers and acquisitions, representing buyers, sellers, investment bankers, and lenders in connection with various types of acquisition transactions.

Our M&A clients range from small privately held businesses to multinational companies. We counsel these clients in complex transactions including mergers, sales and purchases of shares and assets, tender offers, exchange offers, and leveraged buy-outs. Our representation of sellers has often involved the representation of special independent committees of directors in acquisitions in which the management of a corporation may be viewed to have a conflict of interest. Similarly, our representation of buyers has often involved the representation of management or a management-led group of financial buyers.

We have been involved in transactions that have been both friendly and hostile, that have involved foreign and domestic participants, and that have employed a myriad of acquisition structures and forms of consideration. In addition to our lawyers’ specialized M&A skills, our M&A lawyers have a breadth of experience in corporate law and governance, securities regulation, finance, and the other corporate disciplines important to the successful completion of any transaction.

Our M&A clients span the entire spectrum of industries, including financial services, medical devices, manufacturing, software and technology, new economy businesses, pharmaceuticals, professional services, publishing, and professional sports.

Private Companies

Although transactions involving private or family held business may not make the headlines, they are an important part of our practice, and we recognize that they are of vital importance to the companies, and the people, involved. We have broad experience representing these businesses, as well as in representing private-equity buyout firms and debt and equity investors. Our broad experience and our multi-disciplinary team approach to these transactions is often crucial, especially when one or both companies may have never been through the acquisition process before.

Interdisciplinary Approach

Our M&A clients enjoy the benefits of working with a diversified law firm. As our M&A lawyers coordinate the representation of a buyer or seller, they work closely with lawyers in CCA’s other practice groups to provide critical support for today’s complex transactions. These other areas of practice often include tax, antitrust and competition, real estate, banking and financial services, and litigation.