Private equity companies and the capital markets are willing to throw their not inconsiderable resources about at the moment, and if you're looking to go on the acquisition trail or to grow the business through outside investment, it would be wise to take advantage of the current climate.

The market moves in cycles and the mood could quickly swing the other way.

Even in this season of bounty, it's still not that simple to pull off the perfect deal. Acquisitions have to be planned down to the very last detail, unexpected events accounted for.

You have to have the right people on board within the company and the best help from external advisers. Even so, the best-planned takeovers can still take the most unusual twists and turns.

This briefing will provide you with the ammunition you need to take to the market if you're looking to buy or sell. The mechanics behind the merger market are explored to discover whether its peak has yet been reached and we delve into the best ways to ensure you pull off the very best deal for your company.

The way takeovers are accounted for has also undergone huge changes over the last couple of years, so we review how this might affect any deal.

The various stages a potential acquisition will go through before reaching completion are plotted by tracing the course of the recent takeover bid at Liverpool FC.

The role that external advisers can play - and which ones are the most suitable - is also scrutinised.

And since your job isn't over once the deal goes through (unless that was part of the agreement) - we also advise on how to handle post-merger integration.