Peter Keel and Norman Lucas have left Clayton Utz to join Maddocks as commercial disputes partners.

Ashurst has significantly enhanced its already strong international tax and M&A capabilities with Craig Saunders, formerly of Ernst & Young, joining the firm as a partner in the direct tax practice based in Melbourne.

Linklaters has advised Actavis Group and a consortium of stakeholders, including  Novator, DB, Landisbanki, Straumir, on the sale of privately owned Actavis to Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for approximately €4.25bn, a deal marking the largest leveraged buyout transaction of the year (according to Mergermarket).

Linklaters today announces the election of Simon Pritchard, a leading competition lawyer, as a partner in London.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP represented Actuant Corporation (NYSE: ATU) in connection with its high yield debt offering of $300 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.625 percent Senior Notes due 2022.

Cooley LLP announced today that it is advising Jazz Pharmaceuticals in its pending acquisition of EUSA Pharma. The Cooley team was led by Mergers & Acquisitions partner Jennifer Fonner DiNucci, based in Palo Alto.

Global law firm Squire Sanders has expanded its pensions practice in Manchester with the hire of a new partner, David Griffiths, who will join the Manchester office from Eversheds.

International law firm Davis Polk has hired a new attorney to serve as a partner for a London legal job.