Three draft share sale agreements landed in my inbox this week just before the Chinese New Year break. As is often the case around festive periods, everyone hoped to clear the work before going on leave.

We reviewed the drafts and sent our comments to the client before we went on CNY leave.

The timing brought back memories of an acquisition I worked on more than a decade ago, early in my career, for a private equity client. Due diligence and drafting commenced just before CNY. I remember preparing the first draft of the share sale agreement over the holiday period, with reunion dinner in between. The first draft was completed as the break came to an end.

In M&A, speed often matters because parties have internal timelines to meet and funding already committed.

Precision in drafting is equally important. No lawyer wants the agreements they draft to end up in court because of ambiguities.

However, beyond speed and precision, what matters most is judgment. Do not lose sight of the forest for the trees. Pay attention to the details but remain alert to issues that could materially affect the client’s position. Consider payment mechanics, risk allocation and termination rights holistically.

At its core, M&A is about three things:

Speed. Precision. Judgment.

This post was first posted on LinkedIn in February 2026.