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Preparation of a Legal Opinion
Law & Trust International provides professional legal opinions on the most complex legal matters.
A Legal Opinion is not merely a formal document, but a thorough and well-reasoned analysis of your situation, taking into account all relevant legislative nuances and judicial practice.
Before we begin our work, we always conduct a conflict of interest check to ensure the objectivity and independence of our conclusions. Our lawyers carry out in-depth research into every aspect of your inquiry, thoroughly analysing applicable regulations and case law. As a result, you receive not just a legal summary, but clear, practical recommendations that can be immediately applied to your business. These opinions serve as a strong argument in negotiations with counterparties and regulators, and as proof of your good faith in the event of a dispute.
Contents
Structure of a Legal Opinion
- Details about the client, the intended recipient of the opinion, the legal counsel issuing it, and the specific question or task assigned. Legal opinions are usually addressed to one party in a transaction and concern a clearly defined legal issue. For example: “Company A has engaged the lawyers at Law & Trust International to assess the legality of acquiring 30% of Corporation B's shares, as well as any related legal and tax risks.” In some cases, the legal opinion may be intended for reliance by parties other than the addressee. For instance, an opinion prepared for an underwriter regarding the legality of a proposed share or bond issuance may also be relied upon by the issuer’s transfer agent.
- A general description of the documents reviewed and the factual or legal matters considered by the author in preparing the opinion, along with any disclaimers or assumptions. These may vary depending on the nature of the request.
- The core legal analysis, which includes a factual assessment, the legal interpretation of these facts, and identification of any potential risks. The opinion's author is expected to examine a sufficient body of evidence to support each conclusion presented in the opinion thoroughly and with precision.
- The author’s final conclusion, based on the legal research conducted. In most cases, the findings are supported by copies of the documents reviewed in the course of preparing the opinion.
- The date and signature of the legal opinion’s author. Typically, the opinion is signed manually on behalf of the firm and names the individuals who participated in its preparation. It should be noted that legal conclusions may evolve over time as relevant legislation - whether corporate, banking, or tax - changes.
F.A.Q.
How long does it take to prepare a Legal Opinion?
Depending on the complexity of the request. On average from a week to three months.
Is it possible to use a foreign Legal Opinion in another country?
If countries have similar legal systems (e.g. EU) - sometimes yes, but notarization may be required.
What risks can Legal Opinion identify?
Our lawyers check for:
- Lack of required licenses.
- Tax or regulatory violations.
- Risks of lawsuits (e.g., due to unfulfilled contracts).
- AML/CFT problems (if the business is financially related).
What to do if you find irregularities in Legal Opinion?
- Eliminate deficiencies (execute missing documents, correct errors).
- Get advice from our lawyer on risk mitigation.
- In some cases, revise the business model to comply with the law.
