Corporate Law
Running a business at its best, within legal limits
Running a business requires vision, creativity and foresight. New technologies pave the way for new products and services. Emerging economics increase your competition, but also your market opportunities. Society needs to become more sustainable, consumers are becoming more demanding. And even though the free market provides a host of opportunities, there are increasingly more European laws and rules to observe. Briefly put, the business climate is in constant flux and this may have legal consequences. With De Clercq on your side, you will be prepared for everything.
Are you planning a merger, collaboration or reorganisation? How do you deal with other shareholders who are not on board with your policy? To what extent are you liable as a director if something goes wrong? How do you deal with delivery conditions, insolvency or a dispute with a customer or supplier? And what must you pay attention to in a European tender? For these and similar questions, you will find De Clercq an experienced business partner and adviser.
Focus areas
The lawyers of the Business Law practice area can assist you in matters such as:
- mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other collaborative arrangements;
- disputes in case of acquisitions and with suppliers, customers or partners;
- shareholder disputes;
- professional indemnity and directors’ and officers’ liability;
- litigation in court cases and arbitration, both nationally and internationally.
They can also provide excellent assistance in matters relating to:
- insolvency: from moratoriums on the payment of debts and attachments, to compositions with creditors and bankruptcy or liquidation;
- shaping tender procedures and submitting tenders;
- Corporate Governance and compliance;
- drafting, amending, negotiating, interpreting and terminating contracts;
- franchising: collective and individual dispute resolution for franchisors and franchisees, guidance in devising and rolling out franchise formats.
We also work closely with colleagues in our notarial practice on various business cases. These include:
- issues relating to company law and corporate governance;
- determining the company structure and incorporating legal entities;
- restructurings, reorganisations, mergers, divisions and amendments to articles of association;
- share transfers (including earn-out arrangements), estate planning and business succession;
- recording agreements in notarial instruments.
Our approach
Many of our clients are national and international companies (both listed and unlisted), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and family businesses. Within the Business Law practice group, we are therefore fully immersed in the business sector. Besides our sound knowledge of the legal aspects to running a business, including internationally, we also pay close attention to the organisational and economic factors that you have to deal with as an entrepreneur. We also stay abreast of developments in international laws and regulations.
In order to be able to provide a proper service, we are keen to build a solid and professional relationship with you. After all, the better we know you, the more effectively we can help you achieve your goals. Because you want to adapt quickly, we do that too. We moreover work in a practical and solution-oriented manner, paying attention to both the short and long term.
Leave your corporate housekeeping up to us and we will ensure that your business complies at all times with all corporate-law and other legal obligations. Let us be your beacon every day in an ever-changing business climate.
Unfortunately disputes in business cannot always be avoided. If a dispute arises, we will discuss the best solution with you. And, if legal proceedings or arbitration ultimately cannot be avoided, you can trust that our years of litigation experience mean you are in good hands.
