Global M&A activity in 2020 was a remarkable tale of two halves, with historically low M&A volume in the first half of the year, especially in the months following the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, followed by an explosion of activity in the second half of the year.
The Recent Judicial Development of “Piercing the Corporate Veil” in China 1. Summary of “Piercing the Corporate Veil” and the relevant regulations “Piercing the corporate veil” (also known as “forward disregard of corporate personality”, hereinafter referred to as the “forward disregard”), originated in the United States. The doctrine is used to prevent shareholders … Continued
Some Thoughts for Boards of Directors in 2021 Martin Lipton, Steven A. Rosenblum, Karessa L. Cain, Hannah Clark and Bita Assad Many of the challenges that corporations and their boards have encountered in 2020 will continue to be front and center in 2021, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the movement to address racial injustice and broad-based … Continued
The widely reported lawsuit against Google, brought this week by the Department of Justice and 11 state attorneys general, marks the most significant antitrust enforcement action in the United States against a major technology company in two decades. As set out briefly below, the suit warrants careful consideration, both for what it alleges and what … Continued
Executive Summary/Highlights Global M&A activity recovered in Q3 2020 as economies around the world began to reopen and dealmakers, focusing on existence-preserving activities in the first half of the year, returned their attention to M&A transactions. While global M&A volume in Q3 2020 was strong across the board, the continuing effects of the coronavirus pandemic, … Continued
P.R.C. Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) issued an order promulgating “Provisions on the Unreliable Entity List” (the “Provisions”) on September 19, 2020, effective immediately the same day. These implementing rules have been long awaited since the idea was first introduced nearly 16 months ago on May 31, 2019. The Unreliable Entity List (“UEL”) mechanism will create … Continued
The volatility in global markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic uncertainty has put activist shareholders and defending against opportunistic bids at the top of the agenda for listed companies. We have set out below 14 key considerations relating to shareholder activism that Irish-incorporated listed companies should be focused on in the current … Continued
Executive Summary/Highlights: On 15 July 2020 the Austrian Parliament adopted a new Investment Control Act (Investitionskontrollgesetz, “ICA”). The new Act transposes the requirements under the EU FDI Screening Regulation and replaces the existing liberal regime under the Austrian Foreign Trade Act. Investment transactions lacking the required ICA approval will inter alia be null and void. Under the … Continued
Executive Summary/Highlights Global M&A activity in Q2 2020 dropped to its lowest quarterly levels in more than a decade, as corporate dealmakers paused to weigh the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the responses of governments, businesses and consumers across the world, and many companies devoted all available resources to existence-preserving activities and not growth … Continued
On May 21, 2020, the United States Senate passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “Bill”) with unanimous consent. If it becomes law, the Bill would apply to Chinese companies, among others, listed on U.S. securities exchanges and require them to comply with U.S. regulatory and audit standards and information sharing, notwithstanding that to … Continued
