Ann Bevitt of Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP examines the data protection issues facing both sellers and buyers during the course of a business or share sale.

The recent introduction of fines of up to £500,000 for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) means that organisations can no longer afford to overlook data protection considerations when acquiring or selling businesses... Data protection issues arise at all stages of a business or share sale, regardless of sector or size. This article considers these issues throughout a transaction’s lifecycle, from both the seller’s and buyer’s perspectives, including...