M&A Finance
K&L Gates
Full Credential Description
K&L Gates assisted Cooperativa Alice, a non-profit organization focused on the social reintegration of incarcerated women through tailoring, in a critical corporate restructuring process. The organization faced significant financial losses that threatened its existence, leading to a potential forced liquidation by the Ministry of Economic Development. For over 30 years, Cooperativa Alice has been dedicated to providing training and labor inclusion courses to combat recidivism and promote social sustainability. The legal advice provided by K&L Gates was multifaceted. Firstly, the team worked on addressing the financial losses by restating the by-laws and organizational structures, which enabled the organization to attract external financial partners and secure necessary capital injections. Secondly, they developed a new business model centered on social sustainability within the fashion sector, positioning Cooperativa Alice as the first Italian manufacturing company to achieve Fair Trade certification. This allowed them to offer ethical and sustainable "Made-in-Italy" production to luxury fashion brands. Lastly, the restructuring included plans to expand operations to incorporate a domestic violence shelter, further enhancing their social impact. The legal support was provided from October 2021 to May 2022, and the successful restructuring not only helped Cooperativa Alice avoid liquidation but also strengthened its mission to empower incarcerated women and promote ethical fashion practices.