Significance: Deal Driver
Section: Representations and Warranties of Buyer
Negotiation Time: Minimal
Transaction Costs: Insignificant to Intermediate
Major Impact: Risk Management and Transaction Completion

What is the No Conflicts; Consents section? In this section, the Buyer provides information regarding its ability to complete the transaction without third-party interference. It is part of the Representations and Warranties of Buyer section.

The Representations and Warranties of Buyer portion of the Agreement is used to save the Seller time and money. Rather than require the Seller to go through third parties to find certain information, the Buyer provides the information and must reimburse the Seller for any Losses it suffers if the information is false or misleading.

The Middle Ground: Much like the Seller’s reciprocal representation, here the Buyer represents that performance of its obligations under the Agreement does not conflict with its organizational documents or any law or Governmental Order. It states that execution of the Agreement does not require notice to or consent from any party that has a contract with the Buyer, other than the parties listed in the Disclosure Schedules. It also represents that no consents, approvals, permits, or Governmental Orders are required from the government, and no notice or filings are required to be provided to the government, to consummate the transaction (other than those required by the HSR Act, if applicable).

Purpose: The rationale for classifying this representation as a Deal Driver mirrors that of the Seller’s “No Conflicts; Consents” representation. Both indicate there are no legal roadblocks to completing the deal, which, if true, makes it much more likely that the transaction will be finalized. This representation also has a substantial effect on the allocation of risk between the parties because the Buyer is assuming responsibility if the transaction doesn’t go through based on a failure to obtain necessary consents.

Buyer Preference: Depending on the situation, the Buyer may want to include a materiality qualifier regarding the consents, approvals, and notices contemplated by this section. It may even want a Material Adverse Effect standard to limit its required disclosures. However, the Buyer must keep in mind that any qualifiers it insists upon will almost always be mirrored in the Seller’s representation. So, the Buyer wants to weigh its desire to limit its own disclosures against its need for full disclosure from the Seller. Most buyers will opt for full disclosure in this section since anything short of that has the potential to reduce the value of the deal or put the entire acquisition at risk.

Seller Preference: The Seller wants the Buyer to disclose any conflicts, consents, Governmental Orders, etc. that could interfere with the transaction. Although this is a reciprocal representation, the Buyer’s representation may be somewhat more limited than that of the Seller since the Seller is not concerned with the post-Closing operation of the Buyer’s business. The Seller should find a more limited representation acceptable, so long as the concerns it does have regarding conflicts, consents, and Governmental Orders are addressed.

Differences in a Stock Sale Transaction Structure: None.