Husch Blackwell Adds Intellectual Property Partner Diane Romza-Kutz to Represent Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical Companies

Monday, July 29, 2013

Diane J. Romza-Kutz has joined Husch Blackwell’s Chicago office as a Partner. Romza-Kutz will focus on assisting Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical industry clients with federal and state regulatory matters, licensing and Intellectual Property matters; she brings substantial experience handling federal food and drug matters, Federal Trade Commission matters and U.S. Department of Agriculture regulatory matters as well as licensing agreements and related complex litigation matters.

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Tags:  Husch Blackwell LLP

Baker & McKenzie Acted as REIT Trustee’s Counsel for Regal REIT HK$4.8 Billion Term Loan and Revolving Loan Facilities

Monday, July 29, 2013

Baker & McKenzie acted as REIT trustee’s counsel for Regal Real Estate Investment Trust (“Regal REIT”) on its HK$4.5 billion term loan and a HK$300 million revolving loan in July 2013, which are both for a term of approximately 5 years. The new term loan will be used for refinancing the existing term loan facility that will mature on 9 March 2015. The revolving loan will be used for general corporate funding purposes of Regal REIT.

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Tags:  Baker McKenzie | Hong Kong

Willkie Represents Hudson’s Bay Company in $2.9 Billion Cross-Border Acquisition of Saks Incorporated

Monday, July 29, 2013

On July 29, it was announced that Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Company (“HBC”) and U.S. luxury retailer Saks Incorporated (“Saks”) have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby HBC will acquire Saks for $16.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $2.9 billion, including debt.  Willkie represented Hudson’s Bay Company in the transaction.  The cross border acquisition is expected to increase HBC’s growth potential both in the U.S. and Canada, generate significant efficiencies of scale, add prime real estate to the company’s portfolio and provide substantial shareholder value.

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Tags:  Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP | New York

Simpson Thacher Represents the Initial Purchasers in a $500 Million Offering by Japan Tobacco Inc. of 2.100% Senior Notes Due 2018

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Tokyo office of the Firm recently represented the initial purchasers, led by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. in an offering of $500,000,000 2.100% Senior Notes due 2018 by Japan Tobacco Inc.  The notes were sold to international investors outside of Japan in reliance on Rule 144A and Regulation S. The notes are listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

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Tags:  Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | Tokyo

Beveridge & Diamond Assists San Antonio Water System in Negotiating $1.1 billion Clean Water Act Settlement

Monday, July 29, 2013

On Tuesday, July 23, 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the State of Texas lodged in federal district court in San Antonio a proposed consent decree with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) resolving claims regarding sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).  SAWS  is a public utility owned by the City of San Antonio, providing sewage treatment and wastewater services to the city.

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Tags:  Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. | Austin | San Antonio

Robert Rothstein Joins Litigation Department at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Monday, July 29, 2013

The addition of Robert Rothstein, a shareholder in the firm’s Denver office, enhances the firm’s well established Litigation group. Robert is a trial lawyer focusing on intellectual property litigation who has substantial first and second chair trial experience. He brings significant expertise in patent litigation, trademark actions, and trade secret cases representing individuals, medium-sized companies, and Fortune 500 corporations. He also maintains a general commercial practice focusing on health care litigation and complex contract and employment disputes.

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Tags:  Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP | Denver

Latham & Watkins Advises Omnicom Group Inc. on Groundbreaking $35.1 Billion / €26.5 Billion Merger

Monday, July 29, 2013

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Publicis Groupe SA (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for a merger of equals, creating the world’s leading company in communications, advertising, marketing and digital services, with combined 2012 revenue of $22.7 billion / €17.7 billion. Based on closing prices on July 26, 2013, Publicis Omnicom Group will have a combined equity market capitalization of approximately $35.1 billion / €26.5 billion. The merged group of more than 130,000 employees will be exceptionally well positioned to serve clients’ evolving needs, helping them to build their brands and grow their businesses in the rapidly changing communications landscape.

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Tags:  Latham & Watkins LLP | New York