Whether you are advising on buy-side or sell side develop your skills through this essential guide to navigating the complexities of sale transaction due diligence, managing intellectual property rights before, during and after completion, dealing with employment obligations and structuring upon sale, and how to avoid disputes and achieve a positive resolution if one arises. Join leading legal experts as they share with you their practical insights and strategies to help you achieve smooth, successful business sale transactions.
Presented by Juliet Short, Partner, Duncan Cotterill
- The importance of due diligence
- Vendor obligations and employee protection provisions
- Transferring employment and employee entitlements – can you?
- What about ‘vulnerable’ employees?
- Key purchaser considerations
- Recent case law
Presented by Jodi Sharman, Partner, Hesketh Henry and Bridget Perkins, Solicitor, Hesketh Henry
- Why IP matters: understand the critical role of intellectual property in business sales and purchases, and its impact on business value
- Types of IP: recognise the different forms of IP rights - registered and unregistered -and their unique characteristics
- IP due diligence: learn how to assess, value and verify IP assets during a transaction
- Preparing for sale: discover best practices for identifying, securing and showcasing IP before a sale
- Managing risks: identify common IP risks, ownership issues and infringement concerns
- Sale process stages: gain insight into how IP considerations evolve through pre-contract, contract and post-contract stages
- Post-sale actions: know the essential steps for transferring, updating, and managing IP after the transaction
Presented by Anton Blijlevens, Principal, AJ Park Law Limited
- Common causes of disputes: poor due diligence, unclear drafting, misaligned expectations, poor risk strategy
- First lines of defence: robust due diligence and clear drafting (and experienced advisors)
- Claim worthy clauses: restraints, warranties and indemnities, purchase price adjustments
- Managing risk and the ability to recover:
- Dispute resolution provisions
- Role of escrows, holdbacks and guarantees
- The important of insurance
- Practical and commercial considerations
Presented by Tayla Johnston, Partner, and Alex Church, Senior Associate, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Attend and earn 4 CPD hours
- Gain practical strategies to manage due diligence in a business sales transaction
- Examine the intellectual property implications of the sale plus pre-and post sale stages
- Take a deep dive into employment law considerations of business sale transactions
- Learn practical strategies to resolve and avoid business sale disputes
Presenters
Bridget Perkins, Solicitor, Hesketh HenryBridget is a solicitor in the Employment Law Team, assisting across a broad range of employment-related matters. She brings a clear and considered approach to her work, with a particular interest in privacy, health and safety and human rights issues in the workplace. Bridget works closely with clients to understand the context of each matter and contributes to practical, well-reasoned outcomes.
Juliet Short, Partner, Duncan Cotterill
Juliet specialises in corporate and commercial law, advising on business establishments and restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and the drafting and negotiating of commercial contracts. She has extensive experience both in private practice and in-house across a range of industries including insurance, primary industries, technology, and manufacturing. With experience working in-house on secondment in the insurance and primary industries sectors, you will benefit from Juliet’s practical and commercially-focused advice.
Anton Blijlevens, Principal, AJ Park Law Limited
Anton joined AJ Park in 1994 after graduating from the University of Canterbury with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He gained his law degree from The University of Auckland in 2004. Experienced in IP protection strategies and conducting IP audits for mechanical and manufacturing technology firms, Anton has a track record of helping exporters be successful locally and internationally. As head of AJ Park‚ specialist China team, Anton provides IP strategy advice to Australian and New Zealand companies looking to do business in or with China. His clients come from diverse industries such as packaging, marine engineering, aviation, agritech, and heavy engineering. Anton has received many industry awards including a listing as one of New Zealand‚ top legal practitioners in the field of patents in the 2017 Expert Guides. He was also listed as one of the world‚ leading patent professionals in the 2016 IAM Patent 1000 index.

Jodi Sharman, Partner, Hesketh Henry
Jodi is a Partner in the Employment Law team at Hesketh Henry and has been practicing employment law for nearly two decades. Jodi has considerable experience in working with employees, employers and unions on a wide range of employment law matters and litigation issues. Jodi has appeared in the Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court, District Court and High Court, and frequently represents clients in negotiations and mediations. Jodi is a member of The Law Association of New Zealand, and its Employment Law Committee. Her expertise in the employment law sector has been recognised by the major legal directories, including Chambers Asia-Pacific. Jodi enjoys the people factor in employment law and being involved in the employment law issues facing clients who operate in different industries and professions. Jodi brings a pragmatic approach to legal issues with a focus on client communication and delivering practical and commercial outcomes.
Tayla Johnston, Partner, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Tayla is a skilled corporate and commercial lawyer with more than eight years of experience.She advises on all aspects of private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), shareholder and subscription agreements, joint venture agreements, constitutions, corporate governance, and commercial contracts. She also has experience advising buyers, sellers, and insurers on warranty and indemnity insurance. Tayla provides commercial law advice to a broad range of clients based both in New Zealand and overseas, including individuals, private companies, SMEs, large corporates, and private equity funds. She regularly acts on deals involving a large number of vendors and is skilled at managing complex transactions. Tayla has significant expertise in the health and aged care sectors, having previously acted for Evolve, Aspire2, Habit, Bupa, and Arena Living and, more recently, acting on the sale of several radiology businesses. Her work in the health and aged care sectors is complemented by her expertise in the retirement village industry and knowledge of retirement village law. Working alongside Liz Rowe, she regularly acts for number of operators, Covenant Trustee Services Limited, and also ASB Bank Limited, advising on registrations, financing, land acquisitions, village sales and compliance matters, as well as disputes. A dedicated, knowledgeable, and personable adviser, Tayla strives to understand her clients, their drivers and their businesses, and to deliver the best outcomes to them. Clients appreciate her friendly nature, diligence, and commercial approach.
Alex Church, Senior Associate, MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Alex specialises in litigation and dispute resolution with a focus on complex, commercial disputes. He combines a pragmatic approach with strong technical and strategic analysis. Alex is an expert at resolving complex contractual interpretation and breach of contract claims. He also has experience in matters involving fraudulent or misleading behaviour both within and between organisations. He has acted for financial institutions, professional services firms, and not-for-profit organisations in internal and external investigations and contentious regulatory matters. As a general commercial litigator, Alex represents clients from a wide range of sectors. He has extensive experience of acting for clients in the banking and financial services sector.