Clifford Chance

The consumer goods and retail group at Clifford Chance is a multi-disciplinary, global team highly experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinational and smaller retailers as well as consumer goods manufacturers and suppliers. The team includes lawyers with sector expertise in key jurisdictions worldwide enabling clients to benefit from a truly integrated network.

An outstanding advisory and transactional track record

Our industry experts across our international network offer our clients first class advice based on outstanding legal expertise and an in-depth knowledge of the industry, their company and the distinctive commercial drivers that affect them. We have a fundamental understanding of the continually changing business environment and the commercial, competitive and compliance pressures that the Consumer Goods & Retail sector is facing. Clifford Chance is ideally placed to help clients meet these challenges and achieve their strategic objectives.

We support our clients in this sector in all key areas of their business, from strategic growth and divestments to international brand management, commercial relationships and regulatory compliance.

Our experience includes advising on:

• mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances
• ongoing commercial relationships
• economic regulations
• multi-jurisdictional and domestic competition/antitrust issues
• international brand management & IP issues
• franchising and licensing arrangements
• consumer finance, such as credit sale, outsourcing, store-cards and credit cards
• information technology procurement, ecommerce and home shopping arrangements
• logistics, distribution, packaging, manufacturing and transitional service arrangements
• domestic and international product liability and safety issues affecting manufacturers, importers and retailers
• corporate law and corporate governance
• real estate matters
• the full range of financing arrangements, securitisation structures, hedging and derivatives and management of counter-party risk
• dispute resolution solutions, often in the context of ongoing commercial relationships
• tax, share schemes, employment and pensions requirements
• environmental issues arising at all stages of the product life-cycle
• public policy.

Retail

Our dedicated retail team comprises lawyers drawn from across practices areas and our international network and acts as a focal point for industry knowledge and relevant expertise.

We are highly experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinationals as well as smaller retailers and suppliers. We regularly provide advice to global companies on the implementation of strategic projects such as major M&A and expansion into new markets, in addition to operational and day to day issues affecting their businesses across the globe.

Focus on luxury goods

Luxury goods is becoming one of the most attractive sectors. This is as a result of both the increasing interest from strategic investors in well-known European brands and the increasing trend for luxury goods companies established in mature markets looking towards the emerging markets for new opportunities to counter the impact of the low-growth environment in their home jurisdictions.

We have a dedicated luxury goods team comprising lawyers drawn from across practice areas and our international network who can assist clients whether they are looking to expand into new markets or partner with foreign investors.

Our lawyers are all experienced in dealing with the legal and commercial issues faced by multinationals and also smaller retailers as well as luxury goods manufacturers and suppliers.