Corporate, M&A The single European market is taking shape - markets are rapidly becoming bigger and more complex. The Corporate, M&A Unit advises companies on mergers, takeovers, hive-offs, restructuring, acquisitions and joint ventures, including competition and merger control aspects of these transactions. Our advice is not limited to strictly legal matters, but if our clients so wish, can become part of the strategic and tactical process that leads up to the transaction on hand. The unit's members specialise in public flotations, public bids and securities law. Lovells advises on prospectuses, placement agreements, underwriting agreements and offer documents. The unit is also involved in privatisations on a regular basis. Over the past years the unit has won a strong reputation for advice on private equity and other investments in companies and all related transactions, such as financing, shareholders' agreements and incentive schemes. Lawyers within the unit specialise in litigation on issues of corporate law and disputes that may arise in mergers and takeovers.
Tax In all business decisions tax aspects play an important role. The main areas of expertise of the business unit Tax are mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and finance structures. The business unit Tax has expert knowledge of Dutch and international tax aspects of debt and equity, for example securitisations, private equity investments and listing of shares. The business unit also provides general tax advice and "day to day work" for Dutch and international clients. Activities include tax advice on the structuring of acquisition and leasing of assets, property development and financing, and incentive schemes for employees.
Intellectual Property / Information Technology & Regulated Markets Ideas, information and communication are the core elements of a company's commercial value. An invention is invaluable and must be protected accordingly. The Intellectual Property / Information Technology & Regulated Markets Unit advise on intellectual property rights and information technology and undertake litigation in these fields. Special expertise has been acquired in pharmaceutical law and patents and in copyright and trademark law. Specialists focus also on media law, advertising and sales promotion and on defamation. In addition, the unit advises and represents clients on outsourcing arrangements, automation agreements, e-commerce, the Internet and intranets, new media and telecommunications.
Several lawyers within the business unit specialise in the way in which government agencies regulate the behaviour of market parties beforehand while enforcing their regulations afterwards by means of supervision. The lawyers' specific areas of expertise are pharmaceutics, telecommunications, the media and energy.
Employment Employment is pivotal to our society. The Employment Unit is experienced in the law on individual and collective redundancy. In addition, the unit has special expertise in reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions and the transfer of undertakings. The unit's practice covers negotiations with employees' organisations and works councils, the applicability of collective bargaining agreements, the formulation of social plans and, in close cooperation with the corporate team, the application of the Merger Code of the Dutch Social-Economic Council ("SER"). The Employment Unit also has particular expertise in the Dutch Works Council Act, social insurance law, pension law and the law relating to public employees. The unit's lawyers advise on secondments, transfer agreements and management contracts. Other areas of expertise concern special forms of remuneration such as stock options.
Banking & Finance and Capital MarketsThis unit's expertise embraces financing, securitisation, security rights and insolvency. This unit acts for, among others, banks, insurance companies, other financial institutions and corporate clients and advises on local, European and international financing. The availability of lawyers practicing English law gives the clients of the Amsterdam office access to specialised and up-to-date knowledge of international financial developments and products. The unit also operates in close co-operation with civil law notaries within the Amsterdam office, specialised in taking security by notarial deed.
Litigation & Arbitration Lawyers in the Amsterdam office have specialist skills in litigation in cases concerning complex issues of civil and administrative law. Several of them concentrate on technical arbitration, ie arbitrations on building, technology exchange or automation projects that have a distinct technical element. In international arbitration they use Lovells' global know-how and expertise in this field.
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View an article with two partners from the Dutch office.