DLA Piper is one of the world’s leading law firms within private equity and, for the third year in a row, is ranked #1 for number of European Private Equity Buyouts and Exits (Mergermarket).
Corporate M&A
We provide legal advice to private equity and venture funds as well as other investment funds in relation to investments and the acquisition and sale of portfolio companies, including sparring on strategic issues, structures, negotiation, legal due diligence, preparation of transaction documents and process management.
Moreover, our private equity lawyers have extensive experience in the structuring of private equity and venture funds and the completion of transactions, investments and financing of private and listed companies.
We advise the fund’s management team and sponsors on the preparation of investor materials as well as on the selection and setup of the fund structure, including regulatory issues under the AIFM legislation.
Our services relating to private equity include:
- Selection of fund structure and establishment of companies
- Considerations related to structure and tax consequences for investors and management
- Preparation of company documents
- Preparation of limited partnership agreement (LPA) for the fund
- Consultancy and management agreements
- Agreements concerning remuneration for management, bonus agreements, carried interest and waterfall clauses
- Incentive schemes / management participation programs (MPP)
- Completion of investments in other funds (fund-of-funds)
- Acquisition of minority stakes
- Add-on acquisitions (buy and build)
- Co-investments, shareholders’ agreements and shareholder issues
- Corporate governance and management issues
- Advice to the management, including composition, duties and performance review
- General company law matters, including capital increases, capital outflows, management issues, dividends, treasury shares, and shareholder loans
- Drawing up and implementation of compliance programmes
- Regulatory issues, including application for authorisation under the AIFM legislation
- Auction procedures for both vendors and purchasers, one-on-one procedures, add-on acquisitions, acquisition of minority stakes, and handling of exit procedures in auctions or IPOs
- Legal advice to portfolio companies
- W&I insurance
- Preparation and handling of exit procedures
DLA Piper also advises private equity funds on acquisition financing, debt structuring and the preparation of loan documentation.