Mergers, Acquisitions and Trade Compliance…Proceed at Your Own Risk!

Trade Compliance Best Practices to Ensure You Don’t Inherit Violations

In today’s global economy, companies seeking to acquire or merge with other firms may be buying a lot more than they bargained for unless they invest the necessary time and resources in exploring and assessing the potential import, export or economic sanctions liability of the target. Under the principle of Successor Liability, companies that engage in cross-border purchases and sales of goods, as well as transfers of information and technologies, may unwittingly inherit a potential target’s trade compliance violations and liabilities. However, there are strategies that companies can employ to ensure that potential compliance issues are identified and addressed well before the final date of closing. These strategies may also result in unexpected rewards as companies may discover a bevy of previously unexplored duty and cost-saving opportunities that can be seized upon post-closing.

In this webinar, international trade attorney Melissa Proctor of Miller Proctor Law PLLC will discuss Successor Liability in the context of both imports and exports. Specific topics will include:

• Scenarios in which successors will be held liable for the past trade violations of their targets
• An overview of the merger and acquisition process
• Special trade compliance considerations (ITAR, Licensing and CFIUS Concerns)
• Preparing for acquisitions
• The importance of thorough due diligence investigations
• Best practices for buyers and sellers
• Recent case studies