Ashurst advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch International (BofAML) in relation to the £1.56 billion recommended cash offer for AZ Electronic Materials S.A., the London-listed company that makes chemicals used in electronic devices such as Apple’s iPad, announced today. The offer is being made by Germany’s Merck 15. Allgemeine Beteiligungs-GmbH, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA, the world’s largest maker of liquid crystals for flat panel displays. BofAML is acting as financial adviser to Merck.

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Womble Carlyle client NCR Corporation continues its pattern of dramatic growth. Officials with the consumer transaction technology leader announced earlier this week that NCR has entered into an agreement to acquire Digital Insight for $1.65 billion in cash.

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Global law firm Eversheds has appointed Deloitte Indirect Tax Litigation Director, Giles Salmond as a partner in its London tax team, where he will lead the VAT disputes and Indirect Taxes practice.

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Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck today announced that Douglas “Doug” J. Friednash, one of Denver’s leading attorneys, will join the firm on January 1, 2014, as a shareholder. Friednash’s practice will focus on public policy, government affairs and commercial transactions. He joins the firm’s nationally renowned Government Relations group and will work closely with attorneys and policy directors across Brownstein’s 14 offices to help clients interpret and navigate government actions, solve challenges and seize opportunities through interaction with government officials. A Denver native, Friednash most recently served as Denver’s city attorney for Mayor Michael B. Hancock.

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International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised the listing agent and the underwriters on the US$215m global offering and listing of Spring Real Estate Investment Trust (Spring REIT) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which took place today.

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Clifford Chance has advised multinational Rockwood Holdings Inc on its joint venture with China’s Chengdu Tianqi Industry Group, that will give Rockwood a 49% ownership interest and Tianqi a 51% interest in Australia’s Talison Lithium Ltd.

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International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges was legal counsel to Montagu Private Equity, a leading European private equity firm, and other selling shareholders in connection with the transaction announced on December 2, 2013 the sale of a 100% stake in Emitel sp. z o.o., the leading terrestrial radio and TV broadcast infrastructure operator in Poland, to funds managed by Alinda Capital Partners, one of the world’s largest infrastructure investment funds, for an undisclosed sum. This was Poland’s largest ever private equity transaction.

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Herbert Smith Freehills has advised GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, China’s largest polysilicon and solar wafer producer, on its US$200 million 0.75% convertible bonds due 2018.

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