Diploma in M&A, Institutional Finance and Investment Laws

• This course will help enable you to understand different methods to strategically select an optimal method, execute it and handle issues on the way while accomplishing an M&A, investment or banking transaction.
• You will be comfortable with amalgamations, takeovers, slump sales, leveraged acquisitions, de-mergers and delisting.
• You will be able to handle cross-border aspects of M&A transactions, FDI and inbound investments.
• You will be clear with technical terms around securities law – convertible notes, OCDs, CCDs, CCPS, OCPS, etc. Moreover, tax, employment and regulatory issues are also addressed so that you have a comprehensive view of M&A deals. A similar approach is followed with respect to institutional finance transactions (loans, syndicated loans and other credit facilities), which are critical for raising debt to run and expand business operations.
• The course has a significant focus on security documentation as well (share pledges, guarantees, mortgage deed, hypothecation and non-disposal undertaking) since high-value loans are often given only upon obtaining adequate security.
• You will also have access to sample drafts and templates of these documents and screencasts, providing clause-by-clause explanations.
• This course provides step-by-step training in conducting a due diligence exercise and writing a due diligence report.
• The course will enable you to articulate the commercial logic and business intent of your client when he/ she is contemplating a transaction and identify a suitable way forward to bag mandates and perform different kinds of billable tasks. Conceptualise and implement variations if the deal structure or negotiations change Ensure procedural requirements and stakeholder alignment necessary as per law is obtained. Develop yourself in deal structuring, execution and implementation of M&A and institutional finance transactions. Conduct due diligence for transactions, prepare and negotiate term sheets and definitive documents such as share purchase agreements or shareholder agreements. Prepare loan agreements, securitisation documents, conduct ECB-related compliances.

• Lawyers and law students who want to work as corporate-commercial / transaction lawyers.
• Bankers and officers in banks and NBFCs, managing business decisions.
• Lawyers looking to specialise in M&A, Banking and Investment Law.
• Lawyers looking to build a corporate transactional practice.
• Law students looking to work in corporate law firms or big 4 consultancy firms.
• Law students looking to work with banks.
• Lawyers working for technology and e-Commerce companies with regular M&A activities (Google, Facebook, Amazon, Uber etc.).
• Entrepreneurs and directors who want to master the legal aspect of raising capital

M&A, investment law and perhaps even banking law constitutes large areas of practice for all major law firms. If you wish to work with well-established law firms, these are the subjects to learn well. M&A and investment lawyers mostly work at law firms, and law firms often have large banking practices too, catering to lenders as well as borrowers. Banks, NBFCs and financial institutions hire a lot of lawyers with skills in banking transactions. Knowledge of Investment law, M&A and due diligence will be an additional advantage.

Apart from tier 1 and tier 2 law firms, there are plenty of boutique law firms and many lawyers catering to startups and SMEs who also need these same skills to earn well.

India is attracting over 50 billion USD in Foreign Direct Investment every year, which has been steadily growing over the years, irrespective of economic cycles. All these deals require an increasing number of deal lawyers. External Commercial Borrowing, i.e. raising money from other countries that have lower interest rates compared to India has been increasing as RBI has been continuously relaxing norms over the years. Between 2004 and 2014, it grew seven-fold. It has also emerged as the preferred option for big companies to raise debt.

We are yet just scratching the surface. There is a lot to be done in the next three years. As a result, lawyers who can handle cross border financing transactions are in very high demand. If you want to pick up some expertise and knowledge on M&A, investment and banking laws, this is a great time if your ambition is to work as a corporate lawyer.

1. Banks

2. NBFC

3. Law firms

4. Independent lawyers specialising in PE & VC deals and startups

5. Large conglomerates

6. Big technology companies

• Online 24/7 access
• Access to basic study material through an online learning management system, Android and iOS app
• Study Material: Students will have access to the online materials through the learning portal.
• Practical Exercises: Two practical exercises every week, followed by written feedback
• Live online classes: Based on the exercises, there will be a live video-based online class. Doubts can be cleared and personal feedback received in this class.
• Convenient class timings: Classes are held after regular work hours. Typically, classes are kept on Sunday afternoons or between 8-9 pm on other days.