This panel will explore how advisors to closely held companies can structure cross-border transactions and partnerships in ways that reduce friction. The panel will examine the missteps that can arise when US‑style agreements are deployed in non‑US transactions, including the interpretation of common law concepts by civil law courts, and will address how to choose governing law, including when to select neutral law that is neither the buyer’s nor the seller’s home country law. The panel will also evaluate different choices in arbitration provisions. The panel discussion will include tactical considerations, such as selecting and managing local counsel, coordinating multi‑jurisdictional diligence and reconciling negotiation styles across markets.  Finally, the panel will offer practical tips on how to prepare clients for the international components of a transaction (including labour law, regulatory approvals, data protection, tax and other local requirements).