Corporate is one of the most popular practice areas among both students and solicitors. This is partly due to the fact that most firms have this practice as part of their services and for many of them, it is their biggest practice.
So what constitutes corporate?
The area of law is quite broad and involves matters such as the incorporation of companies, board meetings, secretarial matters, directors’ and shareholders’ rights, relationships between stakeholders and so on.
In terms of the client base, it ranges from small/medium scale businesses, regulatory bodies, investment banks, privately-held companies, to multinational corporations and even governments.
As a solicitor working in this area, there are several types of work that you may execute:
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Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): during such a deal, the team needs to negotiate and draft the conditions of the transaction, conduct due diligence, tackle any regulatory matters and communicate with the other relevant parties.
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Private Equity: this entails dealing with the further expansion of operations, making financial arrangements in relation to floating a new business venture, as well as MBO financing.
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Finance: assisting clients with raising capital, from banks or private investors, security guarantees and bond issuances.
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Contracts: negotiating agreements on behalf of businesses, including but not limited to agency agreements, trading documentation, supply contracts, employment agreements and so on.