Ropes & Gray announced today that James P. Dowden, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and a former associate at Ropes & Gray, is returning to the firm as a partner in the government enforcement practice in the firm’s Boston office.

The international law firm Linklaters advised the U.S. private equity investor The Gores Group, LLC (Gores Group) on the acquisition of the automotive supplier Johann Hay GmbH & Co. KG (Hay Group) from the owner family. By acquiring the Hay Group, the Gores Group supports its already existing activities in the automotive supply segment and further expands its position in the European market.

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. (Ogletree Deakins), one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms, is pleased to welcome Paul Lancaster Adams as a shareholder to the firm’s Philadelphia office. Adams has nearly two decades of experience in litigation, counseling, corporate investigations, whistleblower matters, class action litigation,  issues arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act, risk assessment, governmental affairs, corporate investigations, and “bet-the-farm” legal strategic work. Ogletree Deakins’ Philadelphia office has experienced significant and recent growth with the additions of Richard Harris and Zachary Glaser as shareholders.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Associated British Ports Holdings Limited and its holding company, Associated British Ports Acquisitions UK Limited, in relation to the establishment of a 25-year £5bn secured bank/bond financing platform. It has refinanced £2.36bn of acquisition debt incurred in connection with the acquisition of the Associated British Ports group in 2006.

Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced that the firm has represented RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. as initial purchasers in connection with the Rule 144A/Reg S offering of $250 million of 11% senior notes due 2019 by Number Merger Sub, Inc.