Brian Baxter

February 14, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Roughly a year after reaping $3.6 million to conduct an internal investigation of the NBA players' union, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison litigation partner Ted Wells released Friday the results of his inquiry into the Miami Dolphins bullying imbroglio. Wells' firm also took the lead this week counseling a client on its $330 million acquisition of struggling Easton-Bell Sports' baseball and softball business. Meanwhile, Davis Polk and Covington, respectively, helped Comcast and the NFL ink a pair of major TV rights deals.

By Brian Baxter

14 minute read

February 13, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Kite Realty Group Trust has tapped Hogan Lovells for counsel on its $1.2 billion buy of the Inland Diversified Real Estate Trust, which has retained Alston & Bird to advise on the proposed union of the two shopping center owners. Meanwhile, two other top REITS—including one led by a former Sullivan & Worcester partner—battle with activist investors.

By Brian Baxter

5 minute read

February 12, 2014 | The American Lawyer

The collapse of Heenan Blaikie has more lawyers from the storied national Canadian firm finding new homes. On Wednesday, Baker & McKenzie confirmed its hire of a 13-lawyer corporate, tax and banking and finance team in Toronto, while Am Law 100 and Swiss verein rival Dentons was in negotiations to take on an additional 22 lawyers from Heenan Blaikie, which saw talks break down earlier this week with DLA Piper.

By Brian Baxter

4 minute read

February 12, 2014 | The American Lawyer

The Canadian legal market has been roiling lately following the sudden collapse of national firm Heenan Blaikie, raising concerns about a slowdown in deal work north of the border. But Mexican baking giant Grupo Bimbo perhaps put to rest some of those fears Wednesday, announcing its nearly $1.7 billion buy of Canada Bread from Maple Leaf Foods, a deal that has yielded roles for four of Canada's largest firms.

By Brian Baxter

4 minute read

February 11, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance is counseling Deutsche Telekom on its $1.1 billion purchase of a nearly 40 percent stake in its T-Mobile affiliate in the Czech Republic from a private equity consortium, while also representing another private equity buyer that has agreed to pay nearly $300 million for Ogier Fiduciary Services, the administrative services arm of leading offshore firm Ogier.

By Brian Baxter

4 minute read

February 11, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Latham & Watkins is advising longtime private equity client The Carlyle Group on its $1.9 billion sale of Veyance Technologies to German tire and auto parts maker Continental AG, and Cadence Pharmaceuticals on its $1.3 billion sale to Ireland's Mallinckrodt. A half-dozen other Am Law 100 and foreign firms are also working on the transactions.

By Brian Baxter

5 minute read

February 10, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Two months after the collapse of its planned combination with McKenna Long & Aldridge and nearly a year after a three-way merger with Paris-based Salans and Toronto-based Fraser Milner Casgrain, Dentons reported Monday that gross revenue was essentially flat for its U.S. arm in 2013 and profits per equity partner were up 4.8 percent.

By Brian Baxter

8 minute read

February 10, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Only a few days after DLA Piper announced it was in talks to open offices in Calgary and Toronto by picking up between 55 and 70 lawyers from dissolving Canadian firm Heenan Blaikie, the world's largest firm by gross revenue and attorney head count confirmed that negotiations have ended without a deal.

By Brian Baxter

5 minute read

February 07, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Private equity giants KKR and The Carlyle Group kept a handful of Am Law 100 firms busy this week with acquisitions totaling nearly $5 billion, and veteran Simpson Thacher & Bartlett partner Mari Lerner took the lead on two of the deals. Changing hands in the transactions were an industrial packaging unit owned by Illinois Tool Works, medical device maker Lake Region Medical and optical retailer National Vision.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

February 06, 2014 | The American Lawyer

Buffeted by a wave of partner departures, Heenan Blaikie—one of Canada's most prominent law firms—announced Wednesday that it plans to cease operations on the way to becoming the first truly national Canadian firm to dissolve. Its collapse has Global 100 giants like Dentons and DLA Piper moving to extend their reach into the country.

By Brian Baxter

15 minute read