Commercial and corporate law

Overview

We have extensive experience across all aspects of corporate and commercial law, and in particular: incorporation of entities across Africa, advising on cross-border acquisitions, private and public equity and debt offerings and debt to equity conversions, transaction structuring, drafting of transaction documents, drafting general business-to-business and business-to-consumer commercial contracts, loan agreements and primary security documents.  

Landmark cases

• Successfully represented a foreign client in relation to its acquisition of shares from over 300 individual shareholders. 
• Advising a large South African cryptocurrency exchange regarding the cryptocurrency regulatory framework in numerous African jurisdictions and the subsequent establishment of local entities in those favourable jurisdictions. 
• Primerio team members acted as the African filing counsel in the GCR 2018 “Deal of the Year” through successfully advised Monsanto & Company n relation to the USD 66 billion acquisition of Bayer ATKG in obtaining merger approvals in COMESA, Kenya and Tanzania.  
• Assisting a multi-jurisdictional health and safety equipment company in relation to commercial recovery of debts and general commercial agreements. 

Commercial law

• Complex commercial litigation is a key focus area of the team. Our team has the experience in handling high profile and complex “bet the firm” type litigation. We regularly appear before the superior courts, adjudicative forums, and Commission of Inquiries. 
• Primerio has been involved in advising clients in some of the largest civil litigation claim in South Africa following the Steinhoff fraud. This involved cross border litigation in several jurisdictions including the South Africa, the UK, and the Netherlands where we worked collaboratively with advisors across the globe. 
• Primerio’s African footprint enables it to assist in providing dispute resolution advice in numerous sectors across Africa and has previously represented clients in complex commercial matters before numerous superior courts, appeal courts, commissions of inquiry and arbitrations. 
• Our on the ground experience enables us to provide a catered experience for international clients who may not otherwise be present in the particular country.  
• Primerio is well versed in consulting, advising and drafting of commercial contracts, loan agreements and franchising agreements.

Corporate Law

• Primerio is experienced in advising and on the conclusion of mergers and acquisitions, with experience in restructurings, share acquisitions, joint ventures, and regulatory compliance.  
• In addition, Primerio is able to assist clients with various elements of corporate law, including incorporation of companies throughout Africa, due diligence, and deal structuring.