In the law of corporations, a merger is effected when one or more corporations becomes a part of, or merges, with another corporation so that one ceases to exist and the other continues to exist. In a merger, the company that continues to exist retains its name and identity and acquires the assets, liabilities, franchises, and powers of the corporation that ceases to exist. Attorneys who practice in mergers and acquisitions (sometimes called M & A) represent corporations and other business entities in strategizing, negotiating, and carrying out transactions in which two or more companies or corporations combine into a single new entity, a merger, or where one business purchases and absorbs the assets of another, an acquisition.
Paradise Valley is an affluent town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town was 14,558. Despite the town's relatively small area and population compared to other municipalities in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Paradise Valley is home to twelve resorts, making it one of Arizona's premiere tourist destinations. It has exclusive real estate, with a median home price at $1.74 million, with many exceeding $5 million and some over $20 million. It should not be confused with the village in northeast Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Arizona. For instance, Paradise Valley Community College, Paradise Valley High School, Paradise Valley Hospital, Paradise Valley Mall, and Paradise Valley Golf Course are all located several miles to the north, in Phoenix - a considerable, but accessible distance from the town that actually bears their name. The town's name along with all the other various entities bearing the same name comes from the expansive area known as Paradise Valley, that spreads from north of the Phoenix mountains to Cave Creek & Carefree on the north and the McDowell Mountains to the east. Residents attend schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District. There is a Paradise Valley Unified School District, and it is one of the largest in the state, though like many other institutions with Paradise Valley's name, it operates in Phoenix.