I decided early in my career that I would not go into practice areas which are more “personal”.

Corporate laws seemed to be a more neutral choice.

I probably got this wrong.

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I do not know of any lawyer who enjoys setting out tedious information on target companies in the schedules to the sale and purchase agreements in M&A transactions.

We do it because we want to ensure the buyer gets what the buyer has bargained for and the seller is not in breach of any seller’s representations and warranties.

A signature on the dotted line on the sale and purchase agreement may represent the seller’s lifetime work and something of sentimental value to his/her family. It may represent the start of something exciting for the buyer.

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I do not know of any lawyer who likes to extract information from stacks of company searches to draft direct and indirect shareholding in prospectus for IPO until early hours in the morning.

We carry on because the applicant companies must submit their IPO applications before the end of 6 months after their financial year end. It is often a race against time. We want to help the companies to submit before the deadlines and ensure the prospectus meets the disclosure standard under the laws.

Behind every IPO there is a story of how the promoters built their businesses and the sweat and toil they put in.

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It may be company laws or securities laws or something else, but it still involves people. It is more than just business.

#malaysiancorporatelawyer
#lawyering

First posted on Linkedin on 19 November 2021.