Shearman & Sterling Advising African Barrick Gold plc in Connection with Proposed Acquisition of 100% of Shares of Aviva Mining (Kenya) Limited

On 23 July 2012, African Barrick Gold plc (ABG) announced that it had entered into an agreement with Aviva Corporation Limited (Aviva) to acquire all of the outstanding share capital of Aviva Mining (Kenya) Limited (AMKL) for initial cash consideration of approximately A$20 million. A further potential payment of A$10 million will become payable to Aviva if a National Instrument 43-101 compliant indicated resource of 3 million ounces of gold is declared over the project areas. ABG has also agreed to provide up to an additional A$1 million to Aviva by way of a purchase price advance to cover the costs of an agreed exploration programme until the transaction closes, repayable under certain circumstances in the event that the acquisition does not complete. AMKL’s assets include interests in a number of special licences in west Kenya, approximately 300km northwest of Nairobi, near the border of Uganda and on the shores of Lake Victoria.

More >>

Tags:  Shearman & Sterling LLP

Paul, Weiss – Nexen Agrees to be Acquired by CNOOC for $15.1 Billion

Paul, Weiss client Nexen Inc., an independent, Canada-based global energy company with operations in the UK, Canada, Nigeria, the United States and elsewhere, has entered into a definitive agreement under which CNOOC Limited, China’s largest producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas and one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world, will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Nexen for $27.50 per share in cash, in a transaction valued at approximately $15.1 billion. The purchase price represents a premium of 61% to the closing price of Nexen’s common shares on the NYSE on July 20, 2012, and a premium of 66% to Nexen’s 20 trading-day volume-weighted average share price.

More >>

Tags:  Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP | New York

Mayer Brown JSM Announces Partner Hire in Hong Kong

Mayer Brown JSM has appointed James Fong as partner in the Corporate & Securities practice. James has over 12 years of experience in handling a wide range of corporate finance transactions including Hong Kong IPOs, listing of exchange traded funds, block trades, rights issue, takeover, private equities, joint ventures and regulatory compliance.

More >>

Tags:  Mayer Brown LLP | Hong Kong

Paul Hastings Advises Cequel in $6.6 Billion Transaction

Paul Hastings, a leading global law firm, announced today that the firm is representing Cequel Communications Holdings LLC, a cable-television and Internet-services provider which does business as Suddenlink Communications, in connection with its sale to BC Partners, CPP Investment Board and certain members of Suddenlink’s management team led by CEO Jerry Kent in a transaction valued at $6.6 billion. A group of equity investors, including Goldman Sachs, Oaktree Capital Management and Quadrangle, are selling their interests to the new investor group. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.

More >>

Tags:  Paul Hastings, LLP | New York

Polsinelli Shughart Adds Real Estate Finance Capabilities in Dallas

Polsinelli Shughart welcomes Clifton M. Dugas II as a shareholder in the firm’s Dallas office. Dugas concentrates his practice on real estate transactional, real estate finance, asset management, and loan workout, enforcement, restructuring and modification matters. Prior to joining Polsinelli Shughart, Dugas served as general counsel for Lantern Asset Management in Dallas, Texas.

More >>

Tags:  Polsinelli PC | Dallas

Milbank Represents Lenders in $547 Million Financing for Deepwater Drillship to be Developed by Mexico’s Grupo R and Leased by Pemex

In a key deal supporting Mexico’s exploration of its offshore energy reserves, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has represented an international lender group in arranging a $547 million loan for the financing of a new-generation deepwater drilling rig to be used for oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.

More >>

Tags:  Milbank LLP | Mexico City

Milbank Represents Nippon Telegraph and Telephone in Its First US Registered Offering in 14 Years

International law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, led by Global Securities partner Robert W. Mullen, Jr., represented Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (“NTT”) in its global offering of US$750 million 1.4% Notes due 2017. This was the first registered offering by NTT in 14 years and was priced with the lowest coupon in the Yankee space.

More >>

Tags:  Milbank LLP | Tokyo