Make the deal work on paper and in practice
Buying or selling a business is rarely just a legal exercise. Price, risk, timing, funding and the future of the people involved all need to line up. We keep the transaction moving, identify the points that could change its value and help you reach completion with the protections you need.
From offices in Exeter, Plymouth, Plymstock, Torpoint and Tavistock, our corporate solicitors advise businesses and owners across the South West.
Commercial
Personal
- Administration of Estates
- Adoption
- Appeals before the First Tier and Upper Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)
- Applications to join British or settled residents
- Applying for British citizenship
- Applying for Probate
- Buy to let
- Buying a home
- Changing Your Name
- Civil Partnerships
- cohabitation agreements
- Contentious probate
- Conveyancing
- Court of Protection
- Disputes involving children
- Divorce
- Domestic abuse
- Employment law
- Equity release
- Family Law
- Financial Remedy Proceedings
- Financial settlements
- First registration
- Human Rights applications
- Immigration law
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
- Inheritance Disputes
- Inheritance tax planning
- Landlord and tenant
- Lease extensions
- Litigation and dispute resolution
- Managing a trust
- Military Hearing Loss
- Powers of Attorney
- Prenuptial agreements
- Remortgaging
- Selling your home
- Seperation agreements
- Setting up a Trust
- Transfer of Equity
- Unmarried Couples
- Visitor visas to the UK
- Wills, trust and probate
- Work visas and sponsorship
- Writing a Will
Commercial
- Can you explain the new inheritance tax laws to me?
- What is commercial litigation?
- What do I do about tenants sub-letting?
- How many specialities does your team have?
- How long have you been practising in this field?
- What are the laws on paternity leave?
- Can you help me decide on insolvency for my company?
- Will my trademark stand in EMEA?
- How long does a merger take?
- How do I protect myself from negligence?
- I have a question on property litigation
Personal
- What time should I allow for conveyancing?
- How are assets split in a divorce?
- I think I was unfairly dismissed - can you help?
- What are your main Family Law services?
- Immigration laws have changed - help!
- My landlord has just sold the property - what are my rights?
- I've been served an eviction notice - please help!
- My neighbour is claiming my land - who is right?
- I have tinitus from army service - can I get compensation?
- Can you adivise on probate?
Keep control of the deal as it develops
Mergers and acquisitions can change shape quickly once due diligence begins. An issue with a key contract, employee, property, licence or liability may affect the price or require a different structure. We help you understand what matters, decide where risk should sit and document the commercial agreement clearly, without allowing avoidable legal points to derail the timetable.
How we can
help you
We advise on share and asset purchases, business sales, mergers, management transactions, investment-backed deals and group reorganisations. Our work can include heads of terms, due diligence, disclosure, warranties, indemnities, restrictive covenants, completion arrangements and post-completion obligations, coordinating with your accountants, funders and other advisers throughout.
Why choose CWC Solicitors
A successful transaction needs more than technically correct documents. It needs responsive advisers who understand the commercial objective and know which points justify time and negotiation. Our corporate team gives direct advice, manages the process closely and draws on CWC colleagues in employment, commercial property, disputes and other specialist areas when the deal requires it.
Frequently asked questions
Still unsure or need something explained in more detail? Contact us, and we’ll guide you through it.
1. Should I instruct a solicitor before signing heads of terms?
Yes. Heads of terms are often mostly non-binding, but they set the direction of the deal and may contain binding provisions on confidentiality, exclusivity, costs or access to information. Early advice can help you avoid conceding an important point before detailed drafting begins.
2. Is a share purchase or an asset purchase more suitable?
That depends on what the buyer wants to acquire and which liabilities it is prepared to take on. A share purchase transfers ownership of the company, including its history and obligations. An asset purchase allows selected assets and liabilities to be transferred, although contracts, employees, property and licences may need separate treatment.
3. What does legal due diligence cover in mergers and acquisitions?
Legal due diligence examines the target business and the risks attached to it. It may cover corporate records, contracts, employees, property, finance, intellectual property, data protection, disputes, insurance, licences and regulatory matters. The findings can influence the price, deal structure and contractual protections.
4. What are warranties and indemnities in a business sale?
Warranties are statements about the business that help the buyer assess its position and may support a claim if they prove untrue. Indemnities deal with identified risks by allocating responsibility for a particular loss. Their scope, limits and duration are usually heavily negotiated.
5. How is confidential information protected during a proposed sale?
A confidentiality agreement should control how information is used, who may see it and what happens if the transaction does not proceed. Access to sensitive material can also be staged through a secure data room, with commercially delicate information released only when appropriate.
6. What happens to employees when a business is bought or sold?
The position depends on the structure of the transaction. In a share sale, the employing company usually remains the same. In an asset or business transfer, employment protections may apply and consultation or information obligations may arise. Employment advice should be built into the transaction timetable early.
7. How long do mergers and acquisitions take to complete?
There is no standard timetable. A straightforward owner-managed transaction may complete within weeks, while a deal involving funding, extensive due diligence, property, regulatory consent or complex negotiations may take considerably longer. Clear responsibilities and prompt access to information usually make the biggest practical difference.
8. Can CWC act on a sale if another adviser is handling the tax and valuation work?
Yes. We regularly work alongside accountants, corporate finance advisers, lenders and tax specialists. We manage the legal process and keep the documents aligned with the agreed commercial and financial structure, while each adviser remains responsible for their specialist area.
Related services
Business restructuring
A sale, acquisition or investment can require changes elsewhere in the group. We help businesses reorganise ownership, assets and operations so the wider structure supports the transaction.
Investment and subscription agreements
When new capital forms part of the deal, we document the investment, shareholder rights, decision-making controls and protections needed by the company, founders and investors.
LET'S TALK
Contact us in confidence