Simpson Thacher is acting as counsel to GSO Capital Partners LP (“GSO”), the global credit platform of The Blackstone Group L.P., in connection with its acquisition of Harbourmaster Capital, a leading European leveraged loan manager which manages and advises on approximately €8 billion ($11 billion) of assets. Harbourmaster Capital will form a combined platform with GSO’s existing European leveraged loan business to develop new European focused funds for their global investor base. The combined European leveraged loan platform will have approximately €11.5 billion ($15.5 billion) in assets under management supported by a combined team of 40 professionals in both Dublin and London.

Fraser Mendel, an attorney with 15 years’ experience advising clients on conducting business in China and handling China-to-US investments and acquisitions, has joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in the firm’s Seattle office.

Hanson Bridgett LLP is pleased to welcome two new partners to its ranks, Robert A. McFarlane and William E. Adams. Rob is a registered patent attorney whose practice will focus on patent litigation and intellectual property disputes, and Bill’s practice will focus on complex business disputes. Rob will be based in San Francisco and Bill in the firm’s recently opened Walnut Creek office.

International law firm Stephenson Harwood has boosted its banking practice with the partner hire of James Linforth. James joins the firm from SNR Denton, where he was Head of the Banking and Restructuring Group. He brings with him broad experience in banking transactions, with a particular focus on real estate finance, acquisition finance, corporate lending, and restructuring and is described by the Legal 500 as “a first-class lawyer”. James joins an existing banking team at Stephenson Harwood of over twenty lawyers in London. The firm acts for over fifty banks including all of the four top UK clearing banks.