Dentons’ Global Employment and Labor lawyers frequently advise clients on labor, employment, executive compensation and benefits issues arising in the context of corporate mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions and restructurings.

Representing buyers, sellers, acquirers, lenders and institutional investors in connection with mergers, sales and acquisitions, we provide the parties involved with valuable legal and business advice. Dentons assists both sellers and buyers in corporate transactions to negotiate and draft agreements which incorporate protective representations, warranties and other provisions regarding labor, employment, executive compensation and benefits issues. We also advise on the tax, governance and securities treatment of equity incentives, executive change in control arrangements, and severance and retention matters. Dentons’ lawyers will counsel you in designing and implementing transaction-related restructurings (such as reductions in force and alterations in benefit structures) to advance your interests and goals.

We also conduct comprehensive investigations of employment and benefits operations, including:

• Analyses of pending or potential litigation exposure
• Evaluation of sellers’ employee benefits plans and employment agreements
• Labor contracts and ongoing labor relations environments
• Determination of the impact of collective bargaining agreements, employee benefits obligations, and labor, employment and benefits laws on acquirers, sellers or other parties

Our lawyers frequently form part of cross-departmental teams acting for insolvency practitioners. This often necessitates urgent decision-making regarding an insolvent company's workforce so appropriate steps are taken that minimize employer liabilities and maximize the prospects of a business being sold as a going concern. Our lawyers have worked on some of the world’s highest profile insolvencies in recent years. Our areas of focus include:

• Acquisitions
• Mergers
• Insolvency
• Restructuring
• Workforce reorganizations

Insights

A suitable alternative vacancy? EAT rules on Regulation 10

February 27, 2025

United Kingdom: The EAT has confirmed that the law does not require employers to retain an employee on maternity leave in a role that is not vacant, even if similar roles remain after a redundancy process. We look at what employers can learn from the decision.

Redundancy – pregnancy and maternity

October 4, 2022

United Kingdom: Employers undertaking a redundancy exercise need to be aware of their additional obligations in respect of employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave.