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.
Franklin is an incorporated town located in Franklin Township, within the Nantahala National Forest, in Macon County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,490. It is the county seat of Macon County. The Franklin, North Carolina area is rich in gems and minerals and is known as the "Gem Capital of The World."