In our increasingly interconnected world, we can expect to see more cross-border joint ventures and strategic alliances. Joint venture partners and businesses, as well as the companies formed to own and operate joint venture businesses, may be located in any jurisdiction. To better plan for and implement cross-border joint ventures, we must first understand how issues that typically arise in joint venture formation, operation and exits are handled in different jurisdictions. This program will compare how some of the most common joint venture issues are addressed in the United States, France and Germany.

Topics to be discussed:

  • Joint venture formation and governance issues
  • Contributions of assets and liabilities to joint venture companies
  • Employee issues
  • Financing issues
  • Deadlock resolution alternatives
  • Exit provisions

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PANELISTS:

Stephen Glover is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Washington, D.C. office and co-chair of the firm's Mergers and Acquisitions Practice. He has an extensive practice representing public and private companies in complex mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity and debt offerings and corporate governance matters. Mr. Glover was named the 2018 Washington, D.C. M&A Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America®, selected by Chambers Global as a top lawyer for USA Corporate/M&A, named a BTI Client Service All-Star MVP, and listed among "Ten of the D.C. Area's Top Deal-Making Attorneys" by Legal Times.

Bernard Grinspan is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Paris office and Chairman of the International Management Committee. For more than twenty years, Mr. Grinspan has advised publicly traded and privately held business entities on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and works closely with clients to provide guidance on strategic and financial investments. He is regarded as a "foreign expert" for USA-related Corporate/M&A work and complex cross-border transactions, and he also has been instrumental in a number of highly visible transactions within the French business community.

Jérôme Delaurière is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Paris office and a member of the Tax and Real Estate Practice Groups. Mr. Delaurière has advised international companies and investment funds with respect to the tax structuring of various French and international mergers & acquisitions transactions, restructuring transactions, private equity/venture capital transactions and structured finance transactions. He has significant experience providing real estate legal advice and overseeing a variety of joint ventures, as well as acquisitions, financing and development projects.

Dirk Oberbracht is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Frankfurt office and a leading Private Equity and M&A lawyer. He has extensive experience in cross-border and domestic deals, including carve-outs, joint ventures, minority investments, corporate restructurings and management equity programs. He was selected by JUVE 2015/2016 as one of the 10 "leading senior partners for M&A in Germany".

Wilhelm Reinhardt is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Frankfurt office and a member of the firm's Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Groups. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, including private equity transactions and joint ventures. He is also very experienced in public M&A transactions, representing both buyers and targets. Mr. Reinhardt was selected by JUVE 2018/2019 as one of 11 "Leading partners for Corporate Law under 50" in Germany.

Saee Muzumdar is a partner in Gibson Dunn's New York office. She is a corporate transactional lawyer whose practice includes representing both strategic companies and private equity clients in connection with all aspects of their domestic and cross-border M&A activities and general corporate counseling. Ms. Muzumdar has significant experience with joint ventures, as well as acquisitions and divestitures of public and private entities, venture capital investments, leveraged buyouts, spinoffs and carveouts, and other complex corporate transactions. She was named a "Rising Star" in M&A by both the International Financial Law Review and New York Law Journal.

Alisa Babitz is of counsel in Gibson Dunn's Washington, D.C. office. She is a member of the firm's Corporate Transactions Practice Group, and focuses on securities law and mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Babitz advises public and private companies on a wide range of general corporate, securities and M&A matters including acquisitions, dispositions and other business combinations; strategic alliances and joint ventures; public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities; and venture capital investments. She is co-author of the "Securities Law Issues" chapter of The M&A Practice Guide, LexisNexis and chapters in Partnership, Joint Ventures & Strategic Relationships, Law Journal Seminars-Press.

MCLE CREDIT INFORMATION:

This program has been approved for credit in accordance with the requirements of the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board for a maximum of 1.50 credit hours, of which 1.50 credit hours may be applied toward the areas of professional practice requirement. This course is approved for transitional/non-transitional credit.

Attorneys seeking New York credit must obtain an Affirmation Form prior to watching the archived version of this webcast. Please contact Jeanine McKeown (National Training Administrator), at 213-229-7140 or jmckeown@gibsondunn.com to request the MCLE form.

This program has been approved for credit in accordance with the requirements of the Texas State Bar for a maximum of 1.50 credit hours, of which 1.50 credit hours may be applied toward the area of accredited general requirement.

Attorneys seeking Texas credit must obtain an Affirmation Form prior to watching the archived version of this webcast. Please contact Jeanine McKeown (National Training Administrator), at 213-229-7140 or jmckeown@gibsondunn.com to request the MCLE form.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 1.50 hours.

California attorneys may claim "self-study" credit for viewing the archived version of this webcast. No certificate of attendance is required for California "self-study" credit.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.