Litigation developments: core M&A and corporate governance doctrines
Will COVID-19 Qualify as a ‘Material Adverse Effect’?
MAE Clauses: Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton COVID-19 Litigation Podcast Series
Cases on Material Adverse Effect (“MAE”) clauses (also known as Material Adverse Change, or MAC, clauses) rarely come before the English courts, so there are limited English authorities on their construction. The High Court...more
As we begin 2025 and set our goals for the new year (realistic or unrealistic), we outline some of the significant English court rulings from 2024 and the key lessons they offer for the year ahead. In 2024, the courts...more
The English High Court has held that a geotechnical event ("GE") at a mine in Brazil did not engage the material adverse effect ("MAE") clause in an SPA, pursuant to which two mines in Brazil were being sold for $1.2...more
A Material Adverse Effect clause in an SPA excluded conditions resulting from a pandemic except where those conditions would have a disproportionate effect on the target companies as compared to companies in the “industries”...more
On October 12, 2020, in Travelport Ltd & Ors v WEX Inc [2020] EWHC 2670, Justice Cockerill of the English High Court held that WEX had in large part correctly interpreted the terms of the material adverse effect (MAE) clause...more
The COVID-19 pandemic and the responses adopted by governments around the world to mitigate its human cost will have a considerable impact on economic activity. We are seeing the forced closures of businesses and restrictions...more
Whilst the world reels from the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus and rightly focuses on preserving lives, many businesses will nevertheless need at the same time to fight to stay afloat as the repercussions of the virus hit...more
For many years, US and UK M&A practices have differed in their use of material adverse change clauses (MACs) in sale and purchase documents. Common, even ubiquitous in the US, these clauses, which permit a buyer to refuse to...more