Case Studies

Overview

Caldwell & Partners acted as lead transaction counsel for a South Asian sovereign wealth fund vehicle in its acquisition of a controlling stake in a diversified regional conglomerate with operations spanning manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality.

Challenge

The transaction involved assets in four jurisdictions, each with distinct competition law and foreign investment approval requirements. The target had a complex ownership structure with legacy minority interests and historical regulatory entanglements that required careful unwinding prior to completion.

Approach

Our M&A team led a full due diligence workstream covering 14 entities, coordinated with local counsel in each jurisdiction, and designed a bespoke acquisition vehicle structure that achieved both tax efficiency and regulatory compliance. Our dispute resolution team advised on the unwinding of a contentious legacy shareholder arrangement.

Overview

Caldwell & Partners defended a major Sri Lankan industrial group against a USD 200M contractual damages claim brought by a foreign counterparty following the termination of a long-term supply agreement.

Challenge

The claimant asserted force majeure provisions had been misapplied, and that the purported termination was a repudiatory breach. The quantum of damages claimed represented an existential risk to the client's local operations. The case involved complex expert evidence on industry pricing and causation.

Approach

Our litigation team conducted a forensic review of 10 years of correspondence, contract performance records, and internal memoranda. We retained specialist quantum and industry experts, constructed a detailed counter-narrative on force majeure application, and identified procedural deficiencies in the claimant's notice mechanics that fatally undermined their position.

Overview

A technology group engaged Caldwell & Partners to audit, restructure, and then actively enforce and monetise a patent and trademark portfolio spanning 18 jurisdictions.

Challenge

The client had accumulated an extensive but poorly documented IP portfolio over two decades. Several core patents were under-utilised, multiple trademarks had lapsed due to non-renewal, and three known infringers were operating without licence across the South Asian market.

Approach

Our IP team conducted a full portfolio audit, identified the 23 highest-value assets, filed renewal and restoration applications for lapsed marks, and prepared a comprehensive infringement analysis. We then developed a two-track strategy: direct enforcement against the three identified infringers, and a structured licensing programme targeting the broader competitive landscape.

Overview

Caldwell & Partners advised a regional financial institution on the employment law aspects of a significant workforce restructuring programme affecting over 400 employees across multiple jurisdictions, triggered by a merger integration process.

Challenge

The institution faced the challenge of harmonising legacy employment terms inherited from the merged entity, managing redundancy processes under differing labour law regimes across three jurisdictions, and mitigating the risk of collective and individual employment claims. Media attention added reputational sensitivity to every step.

Approach

Our employment team designed a jurisdiction-specific redundancy and consultation framework, drafted all employee communications to comply with statutory requirements, advised on management of recognised trade union consultations, and structured executive severance arrangements to comply with both employment law and the institution's regulatory capital obligations.

Overview

Caldwell & Partners acted as legal counsel to a technology-driven financial services group through the full process of its initial public offering on the Colombo Stock Exchange.

Challenge

The company's business model involved regulated financial activities across multiple product verticals, each requiring separate regulatory clearance from the Securities & Exchange Commission and the Central Bank. The company had complex shareholder arrangements including three venture capital investors with legacy preference share structures that required conversion prior to listing.

Approach

Our corporate team led the prospectus drafting process, coordinated regulatory engagement across two regulators simultaneously, restructured the capital table to resolve the preference share conversion, and advised the board on listing rules compliance and ongoing director obligations. We worked closely with the company's investment bankers and reporting accountants to maintain the transaction timeline.