Simpson Thacher represented HCA Inc. in its issuance of $5 billion of senior notes.  The high yield offering – the largest since the financial crisis, according to Standard & Poor’s Leveraged Commentary & Data  – was comprised of $3 billion of 6.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2020 and $2 billion of 7.50% Senior Notes due 2022.  HCA intends to use the net proceeds to redeem a portion of its outstanding secured notes.

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has advised Astrium (Europe’s largest space company) on its $960m acquisition of Vizada, a key provider of fixed and mobile satellite communications.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Monday reversed the high-profile fraud convictions of five former AIG and General Reinsurance executives, concluding that their trial was contaminated by prejudicial evidence and an improper jury instruction. Hogan Lovells represented one of the defendants, former Gen Re chief financial officer Elizabeth Monrad, and developed the winning jury-instruction argument. Hogan Lovells New York partner Ira Feinberg led the appellate representation of Ms. Monrad and argued the case before the Second Circuit.

Baker & McKenzie’s international securities team in Singapore recently advised CIMB, Deutsche Bank and DBS, as international selling agents, in connection with a global offering pursuant to Regulation S of shares of PT Indomobil Sukses Internasional Tbk (Indomobil) conducted concurrently with a rights issue. Indomobil is one of the largest automotive groups in Indonesia.

The Firm recently represented J.P. Morgan, as representative of the several initial purchasers, in a $400 million offering of 7.250% Senior Notes due 2019 by Antero Resources Finance Corporation. The offering of notes was made to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Davis Polk advised Barclays Capital Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. as joint book-running managers in connection with the initial public offering of 21,000,000 shares of common stock of Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc. sold by certain selling stockholders for an aggregate price to the public of $315 million. Wesco Aircraft’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WAIR.”

Davis Polk is advising J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Stephens, Inc. as financial advisers to Windstream Corp. in connection with its stock-for-stock acquisition of PAETEC Holding Corp. Including assumed debt, the transaction values PAETEC at approximately $2.3 billion. The transaction, which is expected to close within six months, is subject to certain conditions, including necessary approvals from federal and state regulators and PAETEC shareholders.