International Law

WHAT IS DUTCH CARIBBEAN CORPORATE LAW ABOUT?

By Karel.Frielink

It is a broad concept

Corporate law is a broad concept. A Netherlands Antilles corporate lawyer (attorney) deals with a variety of matters, a.o., the original establishment of businesses, the initial capitalization, ongoing financing transactions (private equity and debt), corporate governance, (cross-border) contractual relationships, joint ventures, shareholders? agreements and directors? liability.

This area of practice also includes advice on restructuring, exit-strategies (whether by private sale or initial public offering), (domestic or cross-border) mergers & acquisitions (hostile or friendly), E-Commerce, limited partnerships and tender offers. I didn?t mention tax issues yet, but it goes without saying that in many cases a corporate lawyer cannot without tax advice.

Corporate law is not just about law or drafting contracts. Negotiating is also part of that profession. Negotiating is about communication, effective communication to be more precise. Without listening attentively, which for the avoidance of doubt means stop talking and stop planning your response, effective communication cannot exist. It is a must for a corporate lawyer to know how to negotiate successfully. To know his style and that of the others involved in the process: are (only) reasonable negotiators involved? Are the negotiators competitive or non-confrontational? Does the relationship matter more than the stakes? What is it you want out of the negotiation? What is it the other party wants? What do they think you want? Determine your settlement range: the area between your best and worst-case scenario. Preparation is a key element in achieving success.

Karel Frielink
Attorney (Lawyer) / Partner

Full post as published by Karel's Legal Blog on January 18, 2008 (boomark / email).