A business acquisition requires the commercial deal, legal structure and implementation steps to fit together. We advise on share and asset transactions, due diligence, warranties, conditions and completion. Rights, contracts and approvals may transfer differently depending on the chosen structure.
What we assess
Due diligence should identify risks that affect price, completion or future operations. Findings need a concrete response through remediation, contractual allocation or a decision not to proceed. Employment, IP, data protection, financing and regulatory issues should be coordinated rather than left to separate schedules without a clear owner.
Four practical examples
Illustrative scenarios, not accounts of client matters. The appropriate response depends on the documents, applicable law and procedural position.
Buying a technology business
The purchaser discovers gaps in rights obtained from contractors. Actual contributions and contracts are checked. Corrective assignments and specific disclosure may be needed; a register entry alone does not establish every element of ownership.
An asset deal with key customers
Important contracts cannot simply be assumed to transfer. Consent requirements and continuity of delivery are reviewed. Completion conditions should address the contracts on which the purchaser's business plan depends.
A founder stays after the sale
Purchase price, management duties, earn-out conditions and decision-making powers need alignment. Ambiguous performance measures may create disputes if the founder no longer controls the factors determining payment.
Family business succession
Ownership transfer, management and inherited rights must work together. Guarantees, financing and continuity of authority are addressed separately. The handover plan should preserve operations while giving effect to the agreed succession structure.
Documents that help
Corporate documents, transaction drafts, financial and contractual information, IP records, employment arrangements, permits and due-diligence materials.
From assessment to the next step
We first distinguish established facts from disputed allegations and identify any step needed to preserve rights. The legal route is then assessed against the commercial objective, available evidence and potential cost. Where technical or foreign-law input is required, responsibilities are coordinated before further work is commissioned. Negotiation, formal proceedings and practical implementation are considered together; a favourable legal position still needs a workable route to the intended result.
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Discuss your matter
Tell us the parties involved, your objective and any deadlines. Our main office is in Hanover, Lower Saxony. We advise on German-law matters nationwide and coordinate cross-border work with locally qualified counsel where required.
Send an enquiry — all fields optional · +49 511 3573560
We check conflicts and agree the scope and fees before accepting instructions. An enquiry alone does not create an engagement or preserve a deadline.