Brian Baxter

December 17, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Military robotics manufacturer Boston Dynamics tapped Edwards Wildman Palmer for counsel this week on its sale to Google for an undisclosed sum. The deal has the Internet, and even some late-night comedians, buzzing.

By Brian Baxter

6 minute read

December 16, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Longtime M&A rivals Latham & Watkins and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom are on opposite sides of the proposed $6.6 billion merger announced Monday between microchip makers Avago Technologies Ltd. and LSI Corp.

By Brian Baxter

4 minute read

December 13, 2013 | Law.com

The U.S. set a record for law firm mergers in 2013, even if a few late year unions failed to materialize. Now large firms in the U.K., Canada and South Africa firm are getting into the act, with four notable combinations announced this week.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read

December 12, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Though the volume of energy-related M&A transactions has dipped to a nine-year low, Herbert Smith Freehills, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins and White & Case are closing out 2013 by grabbing leading roles on a spate of big deals tied to the industry.

By Brian Baxter

11 minute read

December 11, 2013 | Law.com

Leonard Grunstein, a prominent New York real estate lawyer and former Troutman Sanders partner, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of lying under oath during a civil deposition taken amid a lengthy legal fight over a portfolio of nursing homes.

By Brian Baxter

3 minute read

December 11, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Haynes and Boone is advising ESL Investments, a hedge fund controlled by Sears CEO Edward Lampert, on the reduction of its stake in the retail giant, which is seeking to sell off its Lands' End and Sears Auto Center businesses in an effort to cut costs and pay down debt.

By Brian Baxter

6 minute read

December 10, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Thanks in part to three high-profile lateral partners hired in recent years—Paul Maher and Stephen Horvath III in London and Lejb Fogelman in Warsaw—Greenberg Traurig has grabbed lead roles on French financial services giant BNP Paribas' $1.4 billion sale of its Polish banking business and Swedish trucking giant Volvo AB's $1.1 billion sale of its machine rental unit.

By Brian Baxter

5 minute read

December 10, 2013 | The American Lawyer

A month after agreeing to a $1.8 billion settlement on insider trading charges, hedge fund billionaire Steven Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors has agreed to sell its SAC Re reinsurance arm to Hamilton Reinsurance Group for a reported $500 million to $1 billion.

By Brian Baxter

5 minute read

December 09, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Am Law 100 labor and employment firm Littler Mendelson is expanding its Littler Global network, which is structured as a Swiss verein, by absorbing 22-lawyer Puerto Rican firm Schuster Aguilo. The move follows Littler's recent moves into Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Venezuela, as well as several other combinations amid what has been a record-setting year for law firm tie-ups.

By Brian Baxter

6 minute read

December 09, 2013 | The American Lawyer

Stanley Stallworth, a 50-year-old real estate partner with Sidley Austin in Chicago, has been accused along with his nephew of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man while the alleged victim was passed out on Thanksgiving. Stallworth, whom Sidley has placed on leave, has hired well-known Chicago criminal defense firm Henderson Adam, which was formed in 2011 by former Holland & Knight partner Victor Henderson and local trial lawyer Sam Adam Jr.

By Brian Baxter

7 minute read