About the course

May 28 to July 16, 2024

Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:15 pm EST

Course price includes applicable taxes ($995 + HST)

4L's Due Diligence 101 course will provide you with the knowledge required to conduct M&A due diligence and understand what you're being asked to do.

This course starts with a high-level overview of asset and share transactions before digging into minute books, public searches, contract review, and so much more.

We'll be incorporating several legal tech companies into our class, so this will be a great blend of substantive training and legal tech. And you'll get to use their software to help understand how you can leverage legal tech in your practice.

By the end of the course, you'll be way better at doing due diligence. And perhaps most importantly, you'll understand why you're being asked to do various tasks.

Due diligence may be dry, but we can assure you that this course won't be!

FAQ

  • Who should take this course?

    This course is designed for summer students and incoming articling students in Canada. However, we welcome others to join us if they are interested.

    M&A due diligence is largely consistent across Canada, so no matter which province you're from, we're confident you'll find this course extremely helpful!

  • Is this course offered online?

    All sessions will be conducted by Zoom. But unlike virtual law school, these are actually going to be fun and extremely interactive. You definitely won't be bored!

  • Does this course qualify for CPD hours?

    For Ontario lawyers, this course contains 10 hours of Substantive Content. For B.C. lawyers, this course has been approved for 10 hours of CPD.

  • I'm already so busy. How will I have time to attend class each week?

    We know how busy you are. And as practicing lawyers, we're really busy too!

    One of the things we've learned is that if you understand WHAT you're being asked to do and WHY you're being asked to do it, you'll actually be able to get your work done much faster.

    So sure - you might be investing 75 minutes next week. But with everything we'll teach you, we're pretty confident you'll end up saving multiple hours the following week.

    Trust us - you're actually going to get time back by taking this course!

  • Is tax included in the price?

    Yes - tax is included in the price. We are registered for GST/HST. Unfortunately, Thinkific doesn't allow us to easily add tax to the price, so tax is included. This makes the list price look higher than it is.

    If you are located on the East Coast, then technically you're paying a little less for the course (since tax rates are higher). We'll eat that difference on our end.

    If you're located in a province that doesn't have HST, then we inadvertently charged you a little bit extra (since prices are based on the assumption that 13% tax is included).

    If you're paying out of pocket (i.e. not getting reimbursed by your employer), then just shoot us an email after you register ([email protected]) and we'll refund you the difference.

    It's not the most elegant solution, but it's a temporary one that's equitable at least!

  • If I drop the course, can I get a refund?

    See our Terms of Service (linked in the footer of this website) for our full refund policy.

    If you request a refund within 24 hours after signing up for a class, we'll grant it. After 24 hours, we'll use our discretion a little more.

  • Who do I contact if I have any questions?

    Contact [email protected] if you have any questions about this course.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Week 1: M&A Fundamentals

    • M&A Fundamentals

    • Course Syllabus

    • How to use Thinkific

    • Terms of Service & Privacy Policy

    • Takeaways from Week 1
  • 2

    Week 2: The Anatomy of an M&A deal

    • The Anatomy of an M&A deal

    • Optional Pre/Post-Class Reading

    • Takeaways from Week 2
  • 3

    Week 3: Why Do We Care About Due Diligence?

    • Pre-Reading for Week 3

    • Why Do We Care About Due Diligence?

    • Takeaways from Week 3
  • 4

    Week 4: Minute Book Due Diligence

    • Minute Book Due Diligence

    • Pre-Reading For Week 4

    • Takeaways from Week 4
  • 5

    Week 5: Corporate and Litigation Searches

    • Corporate and Litigation Searches

    • Pre-Reading for Week 5 (Corporate + Litigation Searches)

    • Loom Videos - Corporate and Litigation Searches

    • Takeaways from Week 5

    • Additional Takeaway from Week 5 (PPSAs from Lienfluent)
  • 6

    Week 6: Contract Review and Third-Party Consents

    • Contract Review and Third-Party Consents

    • Suggested Reading - Week 6 (Prior to Class)

    • Takeaways from Week 6
  • 7

    Week 7: Putting it all together

    • Putting it all together

    • Takeaways from Week 7
  • 8

    Week 8: Contract Review Activity

    • Contract Review Activity

    • Kira Set-up (Before Class)