Specialist Corporate and Commercial Lawyers
Due Diligence
At SWS Lawyers, we draw upon nearly 30 years of knowledge and experience to tailor, assist and guide our clients through the legal due diligence process in mergers & acquisitions and other transactions.
How we can help
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Strategic Planning and Due Diligence Reporting
Expertise
Legal due diligence is a critical step in the M&A process, and it can be a daunting task for the uninitiated. We have worked with countless potential purchasers to navigate the due diligence process and we can assist clients to open a flow of information, which allows a potential purchaser to review key facts about the target business, and consider the obligations and liabilities of the target business, ultimately allowing a potential purchaser to assess the possible risks of a transaction and make a well-informed business decision. We make use of technology and focus on materiality to efficiently assess relevant factors affecting the proposed transaction.
On the other side of the transaction, prior to considering a merger or business sale, SWS Lawyers can assist a potential vendor extract valuable information by conducting an internal legal due diligence (or sale readiness) investigation, which can be useful for strategic planning, identifying and addressing critical issues before commencing any negotiations, as well as a method for a potential vendor to obtain a better understanding of the value of their business. Before revealing any sensitive information regarding a vendor’s business, we assist a potential vendor to put in place an effective confidentiality agreement with any potential purchasers.
We work with co-advisors, and particular accounting teams, who may have had a longer association with our client or may manage data collation and information dissemination. Overall, it is important that the information collected during the legal due diligence process is used to guide either a vendor or a purchaser in a negotiation and through the agreement drafting process, as the risks identified will impact the warranty and indemnity regime in a transaction agreement and, ultimately, price and risk aspects of a deal.
Our lawyers are experience M&A professionals and have experience with complex and detailed due diligence processes covering a broad range of areas such as:
- corporate compliance;
- commercial contracts;
- employment;
- intellectual property;
- information systems;
- environmental;
- health and safety;
- regulatory compliance;
- competition;
- litigation;
- property; and
- tax (with guidance and input from external tax professionals).
Their approach is always professional and delivered at a standard comparable to a capital city law firm. It is the clear strategic direction that has always impressed me about the SWS team.
We believe their ability to combine first rate legal expertise, commercial judgement and strong negotiating skills is rare amongst lawyers and provides us with a real competitive advantage in corporate transactions. We use SWS because of their ability, not their post code.
The combination of rare legal expertise, commercial judgement and strong negotiating skills is rare amongst lawyers and provides us with a real competitive advantage in corporate transactions.
SWS has assisted with advice on securing and exercising complex property and commercial contractual rights and assisting with protracted contractual management and implementation. We value legal experts who can offer pragmatic and commercial legal solutions for our complicated matters. SWS Lawyers has consistently met these criteria.
The team at SWS Lawyers have already showcased their professionalism, commitment, positive can-do attitude and insight into our needs and have a clear understanding of the disability sector.
