Practice Overview
At MLA, we deliver a full spectrum of services required for M&A transactions through multi-disciplinary teams who work seamlessly across our specialist groups. Our corporate team has been at the forefront of some of the major private equity investments of recent times in Ethiopia. It routinely produces legal due diligence reports that are reliable, objective, and that can help companies assess the legal risk involved in the acquisition of existing companies in Ethiopia.
The team is also well experienced in drafting and negotiating term sheets, shareholders’ and subscription agreements, and in restructuring targets or joint venture companies in line with agreements and Ethiopian laws. Additionally, we provide first-class advisory services on the Ethiopian investment environment for greenfield investments, company formation, and licensing. Our reputation for providing high-quality, trusted support as clients seek to implement their strategic ambitions is unrivalled.
Our Services
- Planning & structuring deals in M&A transactions, drafting and negotiating transactional documents, and assisting with regulatory approvals.
- Assisting private equity firms in establishing investment vehicles, conducting due diligence on target companies, drafting and negotiating share purchase and shareholders’ agreements, and advising on financing arrangements.
- Advising clients on trade competition and consumer protection matters.
- Preparing jurisdictional legal due diligence opinions based on the operational sector of clients’ respective investments.
- Advising on Ethiopian investment law, forex regulation, commercial registration, business licensing, and post-registration regulatory issues.
- Incorporating subsidiary companies for foreign investors and multinationals.
- Assisting with the registration of project offices, liaison offices, and others.
- Advising on the winding-up process of companies.
Selected Experience
- Advised a Japanese multinational company in relation to the acquisition of shares in a public enterprise with a transaction value of 1 billion USD, a record high in the country’s privatization program.
- Conducted legal due diligence on a local FMCG company for an international private equity firm and processed the acquisition, including preparation of transactional documents, shareholder registration, regulatory clearances, and approvals in Ethiopia.
- Advised and represented a Norwegian multinational chemicals company in establishing a wholly owned subsidiary with an estimated EUR 10 million investment in Ethiopia.
- Assisted a global seed industry client with a Letter of Intent and a detailed legal due diligence report for acquiring a local target. The shareholders accepted the offer, and we completed all transactional documents including the SPA.
- Provided legal advisory services on Ethiopian commercial law, investment law, commercial registration, and business licensing to foreign investors.
- Advised a leading Chinese industry player planning to establish the largest cement plant in Ethiopia. The transaction involved a private equity exit, and the corporate team conducted due diligence across three companies.
- Represented a renowned US-based aviation company in establishing a wholly owned subsidiary in Ethiopia.
Our Sub-practices
Capital Market
Corporate Governance
Insolvency & Restructuring
FDIs
Mergers and Acquisitions
Private Equity
Key Contacts
Michael Sebsibe
Legal Director
michaels@mehrteableul.com
+251-115-159-798