Herbert Smith is advising the Haramain High-speed Rail (HHR) Consortium, chosen to construct the Mecca-Medina-Jeddah rail link, on all legal aspects of the project.
Tags: Herbert Smith Freehills LLP 
Stephenson Harwood Advises Lion Air on Biggest Aviation Order in History
International law firm Stephenson Harwood is advising Indonesian airline Lion Air on the biggest ever airline order for 230 Boeing 737 aircrafts (including Boeing’s new 737 MAX aircraft), valued at US$21.7 billion. The deal includes purchase option rights for another 150 aircrafts, which would bring the total value of the order to US$35 million.
Tags: Stephenson Harwood | Singapore 
Cooley Team Advises Excaliard Pharmaceuticals in Sale to Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. and Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Pfizer will acquire Excaliard, a privately owned biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel drugs for the treatment of skin fibrosis, more commonly referred to as skin scarring. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of the year.
Tags: Cooley LLP 
Davis Polk – Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. Common Stock Offering
Davis Polk advised Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as joint bookrunners of a registered public offering by Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. of 48,300,000 shares of Kodiak’s common stock (which included the full exercise of the over-allotment option). The net proceeds from the offering totaled approximately $356 million. Kodiak intends to use the net proceeds from its common stock offering, together with other sources of liquidity, to finance a previously announced acquisition of oil and gas properties, to repay all of the outstanding debt under its existing credit facilities, to fund capital expenditures for drilling, development and infrastructure and for general corporate purposes, including financing the potential acquisition of other oil and gas properties.
Tags: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP | New York Davis Polk – Windstream High-Yield Notes Offering
Davis Polk advised J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, RBS Securities Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as joint book-running managers on a Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 7.5% senior notes due 2022 by Windstream Corporation.
Tags: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP | New York 
Wragge & Co Advises US Private Equity Firm Blackstone on £600 Million Acquisition of Mint Hotel Chain
Wragge & Co’s Real Estate Investment team has advised US private equity firm Blackstone on its £600 million acquisition of the Mint Hotel chain.
One of the biggest transactions in the European hotel market since 2007, the deal saw Blackstone acquire the eight-strong hotel chain. Real estate partner John Burns led the Wragge & Co team, which included director Robin Pearson, associate Michael Twining and solicitor Ashley Davidson.
Tags: Gowling WLG 
Morrison & Foerster Adds Financial Services Partner
Morrison & Foerster LLP announced today that Sharon Parella has joined the firm’s Financial Services group as a partner in its New York office.
Tags: Morrison & Foerster LLP | New York 
White & Case Advises Nordic Capital and Point International on US $1.05 Billion Deal with VeriFone
Global law firm White & Case LLP advised Jersey-based Nordic Capital Fund V and Point International in a US $1.05 billion deal under which VeriFone Systems Inc. will acquire Point.
Tags: White & Case LLP 
Simmons & Simmons Advises Strauss Water on Joint Venture with Virgin Group
Simmons & Simmons has advised Strauss Water on a joint venture with Virgin Group. The Joint Venture will offer purified water based on Strauss’s proprietary technology, initially in the UK and Ireland with additional countries targeted for expansion at a later stage. Virgin Strauss Water will utilise the Virgin and Strauss Water brands.
Tags: Simmons & Simmons 
Simpson Thacher Represents Bank of America Merrill Lynch as Financial Advisor to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited in a Going Private Transaction
Simpson Thacher is representing Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the financial advisor to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (“Shanda”), in connection with a going private transaction involving Shanda proposed by Mr. Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Shanda, his wife Ms. Qian Qian Chrissy Luo, who is a non-executive director of Shanda and his brother Mr. Danian Chen, who is the Chief Operating Officer and a director of Shanda (collectively the “Buyer Group”). Shanda has entered into a definitive agreement with Premium Lead Company Limited (“Parent”), which is a newly-formed entity owned by the Buyer Group, and New Era Investment Holding Ltd. (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Parent will acquire Shanda for $20.675 per ordinary share or $41.35 per American Depositary Share, each representing two ordinary shares. The transaction values Shanda’s equity at approximately $2.3 billion on a fully diluted basis.
Tags: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | Hong Kong 