Due Diligence

Shaw helps clients identify and quantify environmental and other liabilities through comprehensive due diligence services that include the following:  

Property Assessments Evaluation
We support all phases of property evaluations, including Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, health and safety audits, pre-acquisition and pre-divestiture reviews and environmental risk assessments related to contamination

Risk and Liability Estimation
We use site-specific risk management approaches to site cleanup, which minimizes impact and financial costs.

Process Evaluation
We evaluate the processes and equipment of companies being considered for acquisition, which can provide valuable compliance and permitting information relating to the future cost of operations.

Historical Research
We conduct historical research to identify prior owners, hidden liabilities, land-use histories and insurance claim opportunities.

Options for Environmentally Impaired Assets
We review entire portfolios of environmentally impaired assets to determine the most advantageous end-use and also provide assistance with property disposition or acquisition.

Environmental Management Systems Analysis
Environmental management system audits evaluate the compatibility of buyers’ and sellers’ systems and can provide estimates of integration cost. Shaw’s due diligence program offers clients a number of transactional benefits, such as:

  • Lower prices for assets by identifying negative cost drivers in under-estimated liabilities or higher compliance and remediation costs
  • Holdbacks to cover identified environmental problems
  • Holdbacks, deferred payments or indemnities to cover unknown contingencies
  • Favorable tax benefits by structuring transactions for environmental liabilities
  • Selective ownership of particular properties with environmental liabilities