Jones Day - Services - Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances

As markets, local and world economies, technology, and communications change, companies look for new ways to work together. Actual and virtual joint ventures and strategic alliances in all shapes and sizes have proliferated. Each is unique to the needs of the participants. Jones Day lawyers start by listening, to understand the objectives of the client. Also key is helping the client understand the stated and—to the extent possible—the unstated goals of the other parties. What are each party’s short- and long-term objectives? Unlike the parties in a merger or a purchase and sale transaction, those in a joint venture or strategic alliance are structuring a relationship to work together over time on a common enterprise. The documentation should give them a realistic and practical framework for jointly managing the enterprise or project.

When the parties' objectives are achieved, or if their needs change, the joint venture or alliance must end. Defining the ways the parties will separate and end their relationship is also an important aspect of the transaction that Jones Day lawyers will explore with the client. Are there assets that the client wants to take away at the end? Is the goal to build a stand-alone business that will be sold? Not every future event can be anticipated, but if the parties’ objectives and needs are discussed and provided for in the transaction documents, recriminations and litigious endings can be avoided.

Jones Day's experience with joint ventures mirrors the geographic scope and range of the Firm’s clients. Jones Day clients Alfa Group and Access-Renova Group joined with BP p.l.c. to form TNK-BP, which produces 1.2 million barrels of oil and owns five refineries and more than 2,100 retail filling stations. The formation of this joint venture was the largest corporate transaction in Russian history at that time. Firm client Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd. of China was restructured and, in a first-of-its-kind transaction, entered a joint venture with Nissan. The manufacturing operations of Dongfeng benefit from Nissan know-how and provide jobs in China, allowing Nissan to benefit from lower manufacturing costs and higher unit sales. The Firm also assisted La Poste Française in a number of joint ventures in Europe.

In some industries (pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, or defense, for example), alliances and joint ventures are a recognized way of spreading the risk of new development or sharing the risks of major projects. Joint ventures are becoming more widely used in all industries as companies with complementary operations, or even those that compete in some markets, seek to collaborate to develop new projects, pursue joint marketing to expand distribution, work on B2B exchanges, or realize other strategic business objectives. Jones Day has worked with clients on alliances and joint ventures in all these categories.

Contact(s)

Lyle G. Ganske
Cleveland
Tel: 1.216.586.3939
E-mail

Jeanne M. Rickert
Cleveland
Tel: 1.216.586.3939
E-mail

Jere R. Thomson
New York
Tel: 1.212.326.3939
E-mail

Wesley R. Johnson Jr.
Paris
Tel: 33.1.56.59.39.39
E-mail

Barbara W.K. Mok
Hong Kong
Tel: 852.2526.6895
E-mail

	Print Page Email Page Select a Language Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances - Overview
Lawyers Staff Overview Experience Professionals News Publications Achievements Contact(s) Lyle G. Ganske Cleveland Tel: 1.216.586.3939 E-mail Jeanne M. Rickert Cleveland Tel: 1.216.586.3939 E-mail Jere R. Thomson New York Tel: 1.212.326.3939 E-mail Wesley R. Johnson Jr. Paris Tel: 33.1.56.59.39.39 E-mail Barbara W.K. Mok Hong Kong Tel: 852.2526.6895 E-mail Main Practice Mergers & Acquisitions	As markets, local and world economies, technology, and communications change, companies look for new ways to work together. Actual and virtual joint ventures and strategic alliances in all shapes and sizes have proliferated. Each is unique to the needs of the participants. Jones Day lawyers start by listening, to understand the objectives of the client. Also key is helping the client understand the stated and—to the extent possible—the unstated goals of the other parties. What are each party’s short- and long-term objectives? Unlike the parties in a merger or a purchase and sale transaction, those in a joint venture or strategic alliance are structuring a relationship to work together over time on a common enterprise. The documentation should give them a realistic and practical framework for jointly managing the enterprise or project. When the parties' objectives are achieved, or if their needs change, the joint venture or alliance must end. Defining the ways the parties will separate and end their relationship is also an important aspect of the transaction that Jones Day lawyers will explore with the client. Are there assets that the client wants to take away at the end? Is the goal to build a stand-alone business that will be sold? Not every future event can be anticipated, but if the parties’ objectives and needs are discussed and provided for in the transaction documents, recriminations and litigious endings can be avoided. Jones Day's experience with joint ventures mirrors the geographic scope and range of the Firm’s clients. Jones Day clients Alfa Group and Access-Renova Group joined with BP p.l.c. to form TNK-BP, which produces 1.2 million barrels of oil and owns five refineries and more than 2,100 retail filling stations. The formation of this joint venture was the largest corporate transaction in Russian history at that time. Firm client Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd. of China was restructured and, in a first-of-its-kind transaction, entered a joint venture with Nissan. The manufacturing operations of Dongfeng benefit from Nissan know-how and provide jobs in China, allowing Nissan to benefit from lower manufacturing costs and higher unit sales. The Firm also assisted La Poste Française in a number of joint ventures in Europe. In some industries (pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, or defense, for example), alliances and joint ventures are a recognized way of spreading the risk of new development or sharing the risks of major projects. Joint ventures are becoming more widely used in all industries as companies with complementary operations, or even those that compete in some markets, seek to collaborate to develop new projects, pursue joint marketing to expand distribution, work on B2B exchanges, or realize other strategic business objectives. Jones Day has worked with clients on alliances and joint ventures in all these categories. Contact(s) Lyle G. Ganske Cleveland Tel: 1.216.586.3939 E-mail Jeanne M. Rickert Cleveland Tel: 1.216.586.3939 E-mail Jere R. Thomson New York Tel: 1.212.326.3939 E-mail Wesley R. Johnson Jr. Paris Tel: 33.1.56.59.39.39 E-mail Barbara W.K. Mok Hong Kong Tel: 852.2526.6895 E-mail