Gabriela Smith: Legal Strategies for Business Expansion and Mergers & Acquisitions in the U.S.

The Argentina-Texas Chamber of Commerce (ATCC) Tech Trade Mission to SXSW 2025 will bring together innovative companies looking to expand and establish themselves in the U.S. market. GNS Law, a Dallas-based boutique firm specializing in maximizing a company’s value through legal strategies, will participate as a main sponsor and speaker, sharing its expertise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), scaling a company to win big, and regulatory compliance in the U.S.

We spoke with its founder, Gabriela Smith, to learn more about her vision, industry expertise, and the crucial role of legal strategy in successful business expansion.

GNS Law and the Strategic Role of Legal Counsel in Mergers & Acquisitions

🔹 Gabriela, tell us about GNS Law’s mission and how it supports international businesses in the U.S.
GNS Law is changing the way that companies interact with lawyers.  While we are lawyers by trade, we have one mission: to make companies bigger and better.   Our firm helps foreign companies establish, expand, sell or acquire businesses in the United States.  We provide legal strategies designed and focused on maximizing a company’s value so that it can be (hopefully) sold at the highest possible multiplier.  

🔹 M&As can be complex. What are the main challenges international companies face when engaging in these transactions?
 The biggest challenge is really that founders need to understand that when they go to sell their company, it is the buyer’s lawyers who will scrutinize a company in an effort to find liabilities.   These liabilities can make the deal break and change the price of the deal significantly  Any founder looking to exit in the future needs to be planning their exit today, and this includes proactive legal strategies that shut down liabilities many years in advance of a sale.

🔹 One of your key services is the ‘Company X-Ray.’ How does it assist in an M&A process or business expansion?
I created the Company X-Ray after a good friend sold his company for a deep discount due to the legal liabilities that the buyer found in the due diligence process.  The Company X-Ray is a comprehensive legal audit that helps identify legal problems and hidden liabilities and unmasks opportunities for growth and improvement before an investment or acquisition. We stand for a proactive approach: the sale of a company begins in day one, and owners and founders should take care of their liabilities long before a potential buyer analyzes their situation. We do that for them,  analyzing their regulatory, employment, and corporate situation to mitigate risks and to ensure they maximize their value.

GNS Law at SXSW: Supporting Business Internationalization

🔹 GNS Law will be a sponsor and speaker at the ATCC trade mission to SXSW 2025. What key message will you share with participating companies?
Our main message is that international expansion requires a solid legal framework. Many companies underestimate the importance of proper legal structuring, which can lead to financial or regulatory risks. We aim to provide practical tools to help businesses successfully and securely enter the U.S. market

🔹 From your experience, how crucial is legal planning for the success of a business expansion or M&A transaction?
It is a critical factor. As mentioned, when you sell, the buyer’s lawyers play a huge role when they “buy” a company.  Founders that want to sell need to take a serious proactive approach to how they use their legal resources and it should be in a proactive way.  

🔹 What advice would you give to companies joining the ATCC trade mission to make the most of their SXSW experience?
There is a clear formula for success in this industry and market, and discipline and determination will drive that success.  Think big and with an abundance mindset.   Make many friends while in Austin and make the most of the multiple networking opportunities the ATCC Tech Trade Mission, Austin, and SXSW have to offer.