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  • July 9, 2013 |

    Gibson Dunn recruits Hogan Lovells energy partner in first hire since QFLP award

    Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has hired Hogan Lovells' energy head for South East Asia Brad Roach in its first move to bolster the number of partners in the region since receiving a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence in February. The Los Angeles head-quartered firm, which previously said it would look to supplement its existing M&A, energy and infrastructure practices in Singapore, as well as adding arbitration to its offering, now counts four partners in the island city-state in addition to 12 legal staff.

    1 minute read

  • July 4, 2013 |

    International firms aim to cash in on Chinese companies' appetite for outbound M&A deals

    When Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer, announced at the end of May that it had agreed to be bought by a Chinese meat processing company, Shuanghui International, it made the US public sit up and take notice. The $4.7bn (£3.1bn) deal, which still requires regulatory approval, would be the largest takeover of a US business by a Chinese conglomerate, adding to fears among some Americans about the expansionist plans of their biggest economic rival.

    1 minute read

  • July 3, 2013 |

    US trio orchestrate Kohlberg acquisition of Steinway piano brand

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher have taken leading roles on the sale of prestigious piano brand Steinway to US buy-out house Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). The US law firm duo has advised Steinway Musical Instruments on the $438m (£289m) take private, which sees the private equity house acquire the Steinway piano brand as well as other significant names including Bach Stradivarius trumpets.

    1 minute read

  • June 27, 2013 |

    Canada three-year overview

    A comprehensive look at the top advisers and biggest deals in Canada from 16 June 2010 to 15 June 2013, featuring mandates for Herbert Smith Freehills, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.

    1 minute read

  • June 13, 2013 |

    US trio act as Generali sells reinsurance business

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson have taken lead roles on a deal that has seen European insurance giant Generali Group sell its US life reinsurance business. French reinsurer SCOR has acquired 100% of the business in a $920m (£599m) deal that closed last week (4 June). Generali said total expected gross proceeds from the deal included a $780m (£508m) cash consideration and $140m (£91m) of collateral release. The transaction – which is subject to regulatory approval and other conditions – is part of Generali's strategy to withdraw from non-core businesses.

    1 minute read

  • June 10, 2013 |

    Ashurst, A&O among advisers on Doughty's £935m Vue cinema sale

    Allen & Overy (A&O), Ashurst, Debevoise & Plimpton and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom have all taken roles on the £935m sale of cinema chain Vue Entertainment by private equity firm Doughty Hanson to two Canadian investor groups. The transaction, which is expected to close later this summer, has seen OMERS Private Equity and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) buy the business, which operates 146 cinemas in the UK and Europe.

    1 minute read

  • June 6, 2013 |

    International firms in Hong Kong put high-yield dim sum bonds on the menu

    International law firms in Hong Kong are picking up growing numbers of advisory mandates on high-yield dim sum bonds, following a surge in investor appetite for the product over the last quarter. Firms such as Linklaters, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Morrison & Foerster (MoFo) and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom are among the international players turning their attention to the market as a string of sub-investment grade Chinese companies consider new fundraising options. To date issuances of renminbi (RMB) denominated 'junk' bonds have been almost unheard of in the region, with the RMB bond market dominated by investment-grade issuers since the first dim sum bonds were issued by Chinese banks in Hong Kong in 2007.

    1 minute read

  • June 6, 2013 |

    Skadden promotes London trio to counsel in 33-strong global round

    Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom has made up a trio of London lawyers to its counsel ranks in a 33-strong global promotions round. All but seven of the promotions, which came into effect on 1 June, come in the firm's US offices, and come on the back of an eight-strong partner promotions round which took effect in April.

    1 minute read

  • May 30, 2013 |

    Five firms lead on landmark $7.1bn China takeover of US meat giant

    Five US firms have taken lead roles on a major M&A deal which is set to become the largest-ever Chinese takeover of a US company. China meat processing giant Shuanghui International Holdings has this week offered to buy the world's largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods, for a price of $7.1bn (£4.7bn).

    1 minute read

  • May 24, 2013 |

    Eight US firms close China's largest-ever leveraged buyout

    Seven US firms have come out on top this week after completing China's biggest ever management buyout - the $3.7bn (£2.2bn) take private of Chinese advertising display company Focus Media Holding. The deal, which finally closed last night, received shareholder approval in April for a buyer consortium to acquire the remaining shares in the Nasdaq-listed company for $27.50 per American Depositary Share.

    1 minute read