We advise entrepreneurs, small to medium-sized companies, family groups and multinational companies on all their corporate life events. By combining our legal knowledge and expertise with a thorough understanding of our clients’ business needs, we provide our clients with clear and to-the-point legal advice.
CoTra’s services include providing legal advice on:
- setting up a business activity in Belgium, either through incorporating a Belgian company or establishing a Belgian branch office;
- capital increases and decreases;
- distribution of dividends;
- negative net equity situations;
- directors’ and shareholders’ liability;
- conflicts among shareholders and/or directors;
- dissolution and liquidation of Belgian companies;
- closure of Belgian branch offices;
- …
We also provide corporate housekeeping services. These services include providing assistance with the approval of the annual accounts, the (re-)appointment and resignation of (managing) directors and statutory auditors and the related formalities.
CoTra also performs legal sanity checks of its clients’ corporate legal situation. CoTra assists its clients in rectifying issues determined during such legal sanity checks.
In cooperation with our clients’ advisers or our partners, we can also provide further legal due diligence services.
On the basis of our broad experience in assisting both sellers and buyers on their share and asset deals, we guide entrepreneurs, investors, small to medium-sized companies and multinational companies through these major and complex transactions.
CoTra also advises its clients on other corporate transactions such as mergers, demergers, MBO’s, investments and setting up joint ventures.
Our services in the framework of transactions include drafting and negotiating all legal transaction documents. In addition, we also provide the required due diligence services, either in cooperation with our clients’ advisers or our partners.
CoTra coordinates transactions in view of ensuring a smooth cooperation between all parties involved and a smooth process of the transaction.
We regularly advise private equity firms, investors and target companies on acquisitions of target companies, as well as on investments and divestments. CoTra has a broad experience in structuring and organizing such investment fund and its management.
We are able to assist our clients throughout the entire transaction process, from drafting the initial term sheet to negotiating and documenting the entire transaction.
Our services also include providing assistance in any type of capital raising process.
CoTra frequently advises its clients when looking to enter into new business relationships. In particular, we assist our clients with negotiating and setting up well thought and balanced joint ventures and partnerships with third parties.
CoTra assists its clients an all types of real estate transactions. As the case may, be in cooperation with our specialist partners.
We are experienced in assisting early-stage businesses with pragmatic legal advice. We assist our start-up clients on the best legal format to start and grow their business. As these start-ups grow, we are happy to advise them during this time of expansion. For example, on possible investments by third parties.
CoTra represents angel and venture capital investors on all possible financing transactions, from a small seed round to a larger investment.
We advise on various types of intra-group reorganizations. These intra-group reorganizations are often pursued in order to strengthen and optimize the (cost) structure of our client. As the case may be, these reorganizations can also occur in the framework of a (planned) acquisition.
These intra-group reorganizations may include intra-group mergers, demergers, transfer of shares, businesses or specific assets and liabilities.
CoTra also assists companies and creditors in insolvency situations or proceedings.
CoTra assists small to large non-profit organizations and foundations throughout their entire corporate life.
Among others, CoTra advises its clients on:
- the incorporation of an (international) non-profit association or foundation;
- drafting Articles of Association of non-profit associations, taking into account the interest of the various parties involved with the non-profit association;
- questions regarding possible directors’ liabilities;
- questions regarding possible members’ liabilities;
- establishing and maintaining a balanced corporate governance structure;
- the conversion, mergers, acquisitions and demergers, and dissolution and liquidation of non-profit associations.
We assist in the day-to-day corporate legal management of non-profit associations, including the follow up on the appointment and resignation of directors and committee members, board and members’ meetings and transfer of registered offices.
Companies are occasionally confronted with a situation in which they are (temporarily) missing the necessary corporate legal support. This might be the result of a temporary increase in the workload of the legal team for example in case of an extraordinary corporate legal project, or an absent member of the legal team due to illness, holiday, maternity leave, etc.
We can assist these companies during these challenging times by acting as Legal Interim Manager.
