Deals And Transactions Legal News Coverage

Legal Week

Freshfields leads on $3.8bn Swiss takeover

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 24, 2008

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has scored its first M&A role for chemical giant BASF after the firm last week agreed a $3.8bn (£3bn) takeover of Swiss group Ciba.The magic circle firm has landed a role alongside Swiss independent Lenz & Staehelin advising BASF on the deal. The firm is fielding a team led by London corporate partner Sarah Murphy, Brussels antitrust partners Frank Montag and Andreas von Bonin, and Washington antitrust partner Bob Schlossberg. Corporate partner Rudolf Tschani and Zurich-based Hans-Jakob Diem are leading the team for Lenz & Staehelin.

7 minute read

International Edition

Skadden leads on Nomura's $230m Lehman purchase

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 23, 2008

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has landed the top role advising Nomura on its $230m (£124m) acquisition of Lehman Brothers' Asian businesses. The US firm is advising the Japanese bank from the firm's London and Hong Kong offices, with a team including Hong Kong corporate co-head Nick Norris, London restructuring partner Lynn Hiestand and London corporate partner John Adebiyi.Skadden is thought to be advising Nomura on its bid for the defunct investment bank's European assets.

2 minute read

International Edition

Commentary: Kirkland & Ellis's new funds team delivers on the hype

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 17, 2008

When Mark Mifsud and his funds team left the well-maintained fortress of SJ Berwin for the brave frontier of Kirkland & Ellis, their former colleagues were surely hoping they would join the ranks of high-profile moves to US law firms that have under-performed. And with the US firm's most high-profile lateral hires - Graham White and the (now departed) Raymond McKeeve - generally regarded to have taken longer than expected to make inroads in private equity, such hopes would not have looked too far-fetched.

3 minute read

International Edition

Mishcons and Linklaters take key roles on £108m Earls Court real estate deal

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 17, 2008

Mishcon de Reya has secured its first instruction for Capital & Counties by acting alongside Linklaters - on the acquisition of a 50% stake in one of West London's largest properties - the Empress State building in Earls Court - from Land Securities. The deal saw Mishcons advise Capital & Counties - a subsidiary of Liberty International - on real estate aspects of the £107.75m acquisition, fielding a team under real estate chief Nick Doffman.

2 minute read

International Edition

Lovells and L'Estrange check in for £132m Belfast Airport sale

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 17, 2008

Lovells and Belfast law firm L'Estrange & Brett have landed lead roles advising on Ferrovial's £132.5m sale of George Best Belfast City Airport to ABN Amro Global Infrastructure Fund. Lovells won the lead role for ABN with London projects chief Gavin McQuater, assisted by project finance partner Philip Robb, heading the team for ABN.

2 minute read

International Edition

CC advises Barclays on $1.75bn Lehman assets purchase

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 17, 2008

Clifford Chance (CC) has advised longstanding client Barclays on its purchase of a $1.75bn (£1bn) chunk of collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers. CC, which had been advising Barclays on its abandoned bid to acquire Lehman outright, fielded a team lead by corporate partner Guy Norman, with corporate partner Patrick Sarch, regulatory partner Chris Bates, restructuring partner Nick Frome and capital markets partner Ed Bradley assisting.Barclays has agreed to purchase a chunk of core assets from Lehman Brothers, including the fixed income, research departments, equities sales, and investment banking and trading operations in North America.

2 minute read

International Edition

Freshfields leads on €2.79bn Deutsche Bank deal

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 12, 2008

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has taken the top role on the latest German banking mega-deal, advising Deutsche Post on the sale of a 29.75% stake in Postbank to Deutsche Bank for €2.79bn (£2.22bn). The magic circle firm's German arm advised on the deal, which closed today (12 September).

2 minute read

International Edition

Herbies' numbers come up with Lottery role

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 12, 2008

Herbert Smith has been appointed as chief legal adviser to the National Lottery Commission. The top 10 City firm won the mandate after a competitive tender process that saw previous advisers LG and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer miss out on reappointment.A team from Herbert Smith has been charged with advising the Commission as it heads into its third National Lottery licence. Litigation partners Nusrat Zar and Andrew Lidbetter will be the main contacts for the firm.

2 minute read

International Edition

Informa deal means rich pickings in private equity

By Charlotte Edmond | September 11, 2008

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS Cameron Mc-Kenna have won the main roles as private equity giants circle UK media group Informa.Freshfields has landed the lead for a consortium of private equity houses including Providence Equity Partners, Carlyle Group and Blackstone Group, with the latest bid for the media group valuing the company at £1.9m. The deal, which is being led by private equity partner David Sonter, is the latest evidence that Freshfields' efforts to forge strong buy-out links are paying off, as US firm Latham & Watkins is a frequent adviser to Carlyle.Meanwhile, Camerons has taken the lead for regular client Informa, instructing a team under corporate finance partner Gary Green.The bid, which was rejected last week (5 September), is the latest in a stream of interest for Informa. In June, Providence, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman tabled a bid valuing the group at £2.15bn. Hellman & Friedman has since walked away from the group while Blackstone has joined. In a statement, Informa said that the revised bid significantly undervalues the company. The publisher, which has more than 40,000 academic and business titles in print and is known for key shipping publication Lloyds List, employs 10,000 people worldwide.

1 minute read

Legal Week

Informa deal means rich pickings in private equity

By a:1:{i:0;s:1:" ";} | September 11, 2008

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS Cameron Mc-Kenna have won the main roles as private equity giants circle UK media group Informa.Freshfields has landed the lead for a consortium of private equity houses including Providence Equity Partners, Carlyle Group and Blackstone Group, with the latest bid for the media group valuing the company at £1.9m. The deal, which is being led by private equity partner David Sonter, is the latest evidence that Freshfields' efforts to forge strong buy-out links are paying off, as US firm Latham & Watkins is a frequent adviser to Carlyle.Meanwhile, Camerons has taken the lead for regular client Informa, instructing a team under corporate finance partner Gary Green.The bid, which was rejected last week (5 September), is the latest in a stream of interest for Informa. In June, Providence, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman tabled a bid valuing the group at £2.15bn. Hellman & Friedman has since walked away from the group while Blackstone has joined. In a statement, Informa said that the revised bid significantly undervalues the company. The publisher, which has more than 40,000 academic and business titles in print and is known for key shipping publication Lloyds List, employs 10,000 people worldwide.

6 minute read

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