Acquisition · Business transfers · Buyers
Legal support for acquiring a business in Paris
SUN AVOCATS advises buyers and investors on business acquisitions in Paris. Depending on the stage of negotiations, the firm helps define the proposed scope of the acquisition, review available information and prepare the necessary legal documents. Each project calls for an assessment tailored to the business, the parties and the timetable.
What can be acquired?
An acquisition may involve shares in a company, a business as a going concern (fonds de commerce), a business unit or selected assets. These transactions differ in scope and legal consequences. It is necessary to identify what would be acquired, the rights and contracts concerned, and the commitments the buyer intends to assume. Our Business sales page provides a broader overview of transfers and restructuring.
Defining the project and reviewing documents
Before making a commitment, the buyer needs to understand the activity, clarify their objectives and identify the information to request. Depending on the transaction, the review may cover the shares or business assets, key contracts, premises, intellectual property rights, employment matters and obligations associated with the operation. Accounting and financial questions are assessed with the relevant professionals.
The scope of the review depends on the documents available, the timetable and the form of the acquisition. Matters that have not been documented should be identified before negotiating commitments.
Stages of our support
Define the acquisition scope
Identify the target, the activity and the elements the buyer wishes to acquire.
Review information
Organise the review of available documents and prioritise legal questions.
Structure the transaction
Consider the form of acquisition and its implications for contracts and commitments.
Negotiate the documents
Prepare, discuss and clarify the transaction terms, warranties and any conditions precedent.
Support completion
Coordinate the legal steps through signing and the related formalities.
This sequence is indicative: the stages and their order vary from one matter to another.
Price, financing, contracts and employees
The price alone does not capture the cost or risks of an acquisition. Financing, post-acquisition needs, contracts essential to the business, employees and warranties should be considered together. The firm advises on the legal structuring and, where necessary, works with the buyer’s accounting and financial advisers.
What if the business is in difficulty?
A negotiated acquisition and an offer submitted in French insolvency proceedings operate under different frameworks. In judicial reorganisation or liquidation, access to information, deadlines, the content of the offer and the court’s decision require specific preparation. Read about acquisitions in insolvency proceedings.
Tell us about your project
For an initial discussion, you may indicate your role, the activity or target considered, the proposed scope of the acquisition, the stage of discussions and the main deadlines. The firm will then explain which documents may be useful and how to provide them. SUN AVOCATS receives clients at 70 rue de Ponthieu, 75008 Paris; any appointment at the office is subject to confirmation by the team.
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