Complex transactions and transfers of undertakings

Increasing competitiveness, the transformation of work and the new ways in which it is done, the constantly-changing legal requirements in this area... The changes taking place within our companies and markets mean that many companies are undergoing structural reform (mergers and acquisitions, disposal of assets or securities, public offers for purchase or exchange, demergers, legal restructuring within groups, take-overs of firms in difficulty, privatisation or open share offers). The legal aspects of these changes become increasingly complex, both as a result of the many issues and consequences involved, and also due to the wide range of stakeholders concerned. In this context, cross-border transfers of undertakings can be particularly difficult and sensitive - especially in terms of industrial relations - bearing in mind the differences in the legislation and regulations that apply to them. Whether you are the transferor, the transferee or the purchaser, in France or abroad, it is essential that you have first-class legal advice, starting in the planning stages and ending with monitoring the effects of the transaction.

In light of this, the first challenge is to accurately identify and understand the role, scope and limitations of each of the stakeholders in the project and to coordinate their involvement, and this must be done in the very early stages. Our team of specialist employment and social welfare lawyers will perform due diligence on target companies to ensure they comply with the current requirements of employment law, to identify their constraints and commitments with regard to their employees and to assess any risks they may face.
With the support of our multi-disciplinary teams, who work with our colleagues in other countries (whose expert input is vital to the success of international transactions), our lawyers offer you the benefit of their extensive experience in the full range of employment issues related to complex transactions of this nature. They offer advice and support through each stage of the process, evaluating the various options, implications and consequences, and defining, negotiating and formalising by contract the most appropriate operating procedures, before implementing them. Their familiarity with the corporate world guarantees a detailed understanding of your aims, constraints and ambitions. With this in mind, in addition to their thorough legal expertise, the solutions they develop to deliver your goals are always pragmatic, strategic and tailored to the key employment challenges you face.