Business Law and Corporate Law

The recent Ausmincon/Afry scheme has reignited debate over naked no vote break fees in Australian M&A transactions. While these fees have been largely absent from public deals for the past decade, the Court's decision reconfirms they are not inherently coercive and need not be minimal. What factors enabled this $1 million break fee—exceeding 1% of equity value—to withstand judicial scrutiny?

For most successful business owners, franchising sounds like a natural next step. The business works, the brand has traction, and the margins look sound enough to share. What the growth plans rarely account for is that franchising is not simply an expansion strategy. It is a change in what you do for a living.

Once the (metaphorical) champagne is popped and both parties sign on the dotted line, attention typically shifts to delivery. At this point, the contract is often relegated to the figurative bottom draw...