International M&A Counsel That Travels as Far as Your Deal Does

Cross-border transactions carry a layer of complexity that most boutique firms quietly avoid. Weintraub Law Group does not. We represent foreign buyers acquiring U.S. businesses, U.S. companies expanding into international markets, and domestic sellers navigating inbound interest — bringing nearly 50 years of transactional experience and AV-rated credibility to every deal, regardless of where the parties sit.

Inbound and Outbound — Both Sides of the Border, One Firm

Cross-border M&A moves in two directions, and the legal issues on each side are distinct. For foreign buyers acquiring a U.S. or California-based business, we provide U.S. counsel that foreign parties can trust — structuring the transaction, navigating domestic regulatory requirements, and coordinating with tax advisers on the cross-border implications of the deal. For U.S. companies pursuing outbound acquisitions or international joint ventures, we bring the same disciplined deal structure and due diligence rigor we apply to every transaction in our practice.

 

Whether the complexity runs inbound or outbound, the work requires senior-level attention from day one. That is what we provide.

Why Foreign Parties and Their Counsel Choose Weintraub Law Group

When a foreign buyer or their domestic counsel is evaluating U.S. legal representation, credibility is the threshold question. Our AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer-review designation in the legal profession — signals the standing that sophisticated counterparties and international counsel require before they trust a firm with a complex deal.

 

Beyond credentials, we bring a record that speaks directly to what cross-border clients need: more than 200 completed M&A transactions, 500-plus public and private securities offerings as lead counsel, and a documented history of prevailing against large regional firms including Cooley, Sheppard Mullin, and Procopio — firms that actively market international M&A capability. We compete at that level and charge boutique rates under $1,000 per hour. That combination is rare.

What Cross-Border Deal Structuring Actually Requires

International acquisitions introduce variables that a purely domestic deal does not. Getting the structure right before the transaction closes is the only way to avoid problems that are expensive to unwind afterward.

 

We address the full range of cross-border deal considerations, including:

 

  • Entity structure and jurisdiction selection for foreign buyers entering the U.S. market
  • Regulatory clearance requirements under federal and state law
  • CFIUS and foreign investment review considerations where applicable
  • Securities law compliance for transactions involving U.S. public or private offerings
  • Coordination with tax counsel on treaty positions, withholding obligations, and international tax exposure
  • Representations, warranties, and indemnification provisions calibrated to cross-border risk
  • Post-closing integration and compliance obligations for foreign-owned U.S. entities

Due Diligence Is Where Cross-Border Deals Are Won or Lost

No cross-border transaction should close without disciplined due diligence on both the target and the regulatory environment surrounding it. Foreign buyers often underestimate the depth of U.S. due diligence expectations. U.S. sellers pursuing outbound deals frequently encounter disclosure frameworks that differ materially from domestic practice.

 

We conduct thorough due diligence on every transaction we structure — reviewing corporate records, material contracts, regulatory status, intellectual property ownership, pending litigation, and the securities law compliance history of the target. For cross-border transactions specifically, we coordinate that review with the tax and regulatory considerations that make international deals structurally different from domestic ones. More on our due diligence process is available on the M&A Due Diligence page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hedge Fund Formation and Investment Adviser Registration

  • What does a cross-border M&A attorney do differently than a domestic M&A lawyer?

    A cross-border M&A attorney structures the transaction to account for the regulatory, tax, and securities law frameworks that apply when parties or assets span multiple jurisdictions. That includes foreign investment review, entity structuring for non-U.S. buyers, coordination with international tax counsel, and due diligence calibrated to cross-border risk — none of which arise in a purely domestic deal.

  • Do I need a U.S. attorney if I'm a foreign company buying a California business?

    Yes. U.S. counsel is essential for a foreign buyer acquiring a domestic business. You need an attorney who understands federal and California state law, can structure the acquisition to minimize regulatory exposure, and carries the credibility that U.S. sellers and their counsel will respect. We serve as U.S. counsel for inbound transactions and coordinate with your home-jurisdiction advisers as needed.

  • What is CFIUS and does it apply to my deal?

    CFIUS — the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States — reviews acquisitions by foreign persons of U.S. businesses that may affect national security. Not every cross-border transaction triggers a mandatory CFIUS filing, but many benefit from a voluntary review or at minimum a careful assessment of whether the target's business activities fall within CFIUS jurisdiction. We evaluate CFIUS exposure as part of our standard cross-border deal review.

  • How do you handle the tax issues in a cross-border transaction?

    Tax structuring in a cross-border deal requires coordination between transactional counsel and qualified international tax advisers. We manage the legal structure of the transaction and work alongside your tax counsel — or refer you to trusted advisers if needed — to address treaty positions, withholding obligations, and entity-level tax exposure before the deal closes. Getting those pieces aligned early is far less costly than restructuring after the fact.

  • Can Weintraub Law Group represent a U.S. company in an outbound acquisition?

    Yes. We represent U.S. companies acquiring businesses or assets in foreign markets, structuring outbound transactions to account for the domestic legal and securities law obligations that remain in place regardless of where the target is located. For the foreign law components of an outbound deal, we coordinate with qualified local counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.

San Diego-Based. Deal Experience That Reaches Further.

Weintraub Law Group is headquartered in San Diego and serves clients across the country and internationally on securities, M&A, and cross-border transactions. If you are a foreign buyer evaluating a U.S. acquisition, a domestic company pursuing international growth, or a transactional attorney seeking co-counsel with documented cross-border experience, we are ready to discuss your deal.