Capital markets are financial markets for the buying and selling of long-term debt or equity-backed securities.

Our capital markets department provides constructive legal advice and profound in depth analysis for our clients with respect to international listings, including listings on emerging European markets. The capital markets sector is both constantly growing and being transformed by increased competition, globalisation and regulation.

Effective risk management for this challenging market is vital in order to deliver stable returns and support robust governance and compliance services. We advice local and international clients on the best way forward in today’s Capital market sector.

 Our firms has experience in handling emerging market bond issues, liability management transactions, sovereign bonds and high yield transactions and with our hands on and pragmatic approach we ensure that our clients transactions run as smoothly as possible.

Our Capital Markets lawyers advise clients on all types of securities transactions, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance issues, including

• Risk Management
• Governance
• Changing Regulation / Legislation
• Takeovers
• Initial public offerings
• Public and private equity and investment-grade and high-yield debt offerings
• Securities exchange listings
• Advice to trustees and corporate trust intermediaries
• Corporate governance advice to boards of directors and their committees

Initial public offering (I.P.O)

Initial public offerings also referred to as an I.P.O or Stock market launch is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public on a securities exchange.(Mostly institutional investors at first) Through this process a company transforms from a private company into a public company.

Reasons are varied why a company may undertake an IPO but most commonly it is to raise capital for expansion, debt management or to become a publicly traded enterprise.  A company may also undertake an initial public offering in order to increase and diversify its equity base, increase exposure and enable cheaper access to capital.

A successful IPO can only be achieved by having a consultant who offers comprehensive and trustworthy advice and who will guide the client through the entire initial public offering procedure. Our firm’s guidance through the regulations of the IPO procedures is invaluable to our clients.

As in all company matters a key element of any successful process is accurate, legal representation. A company lawyer/secretary is a necessity as well as a key element for any company going through the process of an I.P.O and will be required to advise the client on all legal matters relating to the company listing.

The I.P.O process consists of various stages and with our firm’s advice and legal representation we will help to insure that your IPO is successful. These steps include:

• Planning for the IPO process 
• determining the best time for an IPO, developing a business plan and preparing financial statements
• Choosing Underwriters – selecting the people responsible for buying and selling the securities to the public
• IPO Promotion, presenting the IPO to potential investors
• Submitting all relevant documentation to the SEC with details about the offering

Our Firm advises our clients on the new corporate governance framework and associated policies and procedures which will need to be implemented prior to flotation and maintained thereafter. This includes:

• Setting up committees and terms of reference
• Managing the Annual General Meeting and managing registrars who maintain the register of shareholders
• Managing a program of regular Board and committee meetings and the flow of information to non-executive directors
• Overseeing appointment of non-executive directors
• Implementing an insider list and managing the share dealing approval process
• Producing an annual report complying with the new reporting requirements
• Managing routine and financial results stock exchange announcements
• Analyzing the shareholder register and beneficial ownership
• Directors’ induction and development and board evaluation

Our clients rely on us for the most current advice on disclosure and corporate governance matters, corporate and securities regulatory issues and transactional structuring. Our lawyers regularly advise issuers, underwriters, placement agents and initial purchasers in public and private global offerings of securities. These transactions range from IPOs by start-up companies to registered shelf offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities by various issuers.