Joint ventures can be organized on a contractual or corporate basis. There are two types of joint ventures: contractual and equity. Depending on the objective, either a pure cooperation agreement or the formation of a joint company may be appropriate. Our lawyers specializing in M&A will advise you on the pros and cons of the different models and help you find the optimal solution for your needs.

Clear rules governing decision-making mechanisms are essential to avoid conflicts later on. Our lawyers specializing in M&A can help you design governance structures, voting arrangements, and profit distribution systems that will ensure your joint venture functions efficiently in the long term.

The most common option is an equity joint venture, in which cooperating companies establish a new company together. This usually takes the form of a limited liability company (GmbH in Germany, SAS in France, etc.). Our lawyers specializing in M&A can help you minimize liability risks in connection with the joint venture.

Clear exit strategies should be defined when establishing a joint venture to avoid disputes later on. These strategies can include appropriate “good leaver” or “bad leaver” exclusion and severance clauses. Our lawyers specializing in M&A can help you draft provisions for share sales, termination, and joint venture liquidation so that you can react flexibly to changing circumstances.