Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

The ISOLAS team acts across the entire Mergers & Acquisitions space, both as lead counsel for Gibraltar deals, as well as part of multi-jurisdictional and cross-border transactions. Our lawyers are deal‑focused, pragmatic and solutions‑oriented, working closely with clients’ executives, in‑house legal teams and international counsel to deliver seamless, efficient and value‑driven outcomes.

This expertise and longstanding reputation is recognised by various legal directories, including Chambers and Partners, where we are ranked as a Band 1 Firm for General Business Law.

We have extensive involvement on the sale and/or purchase of regulated firms and groups, in particular. In this regard, we regularly assist in obtaining Gibraltar regulatory approvals, including under the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission’s (GFSC) Change of Control process or that of the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner as part of commercial and corporate transactions.

In addition to the negotiation of transaction documents, we assist clients with preparation of ancillaries, disclosures and due diligence exercises, as well as with Gibraltar competition authority clearances. As a full-service law firm, we provide a range of legal due diligence reporting services for both prospective purchasers and vendors across regulatory, business/material contracts, corporate, property, employment, tax and all other customary areas of due diligence relevant to Gibraltar entities.

Our team also advises on restructures and reorganisations, including the redomiciliation of Gibraltar companies to other jurisdictions and migration of foreign companies to Gibraltar.

What We Do

Given Gibraltar’s position as a strategic M&A Hub, ISOLAS guides clients through Gibraltar’s corporate and regulatory environment, with corresponding advice on local political and market factors. We provide full coverage of all M&A workstreams, including:

● Deal structuring and strategy
● Legal, regulatory and commercial due diligence reporting
● Drafting and negotiation of SPA, SHA and ancillary agreements
● Competition, regulatory, sectoral and change‑of‑control approvals, consents and clearances
● Disclosure, warranties, indemnities and risk allocation
● Conditions precedent management
● Pre‑completion restructuring
● Integrations and post‑acquisition support, including retainer-based services and compliance support

Cross‑Border Transactions

Our expertise also extends to advice on the implications arising from cross‑border alignment or divergence with UK and EU frameworks. We anticipate and manage jurisdictional interplay, ensuring that Gibraltar‑specific issues, such as regulatory approvals, corporate structure, beneficial ownership changes, tax considerations and timing align with global transaction timelines. We have extensive experience acting as:

● Lead Gibraltar counsel on local and international transactions
● Local counsel within multi‑jurisdictional teams (including with Magic Circle, US firms and elite European firms)
● Legal advisers on the Gibraltar implications of deals involving the UK, EU, US and offshore jurisdictions

Regulatory and Change‑of‑Control Expertise

We provide focused guidance from the outset, helping clients identify regulatory risks early, design compliant transaction structures and manage approval processes efficiently. In this respect, Gibraltar transactions often require specialist regulatory insight on:
● Gambling licensing change‑of‑control approvals
● Financial services and insurance change‑of‑control approvals
● Antitrust / competition considerations
● Sector‑specific approvals in gaming, fintech, regulated tech and telecommunications
● Government related services and tenders