O’Melveny & Myers LLP has provided a wide range of crucial pro bono legal services for the Sundance Institute Artist Services program, a groundbreaking initiative to showcase the work of Institute artists by offering access to top-tier digital distribution platforms as well as to creative funding and marketing ideas.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges represented Marvel Entertainment, Inc. in its federal district court victory over the heirs of Jack Kirby, a noted comic book artist who worked for Marvel during the late 1950s and early 1960s when Marvel created many of its iconic comic book superheroes.

Chadbourne & Parke represented Fortune Brands, Inc. in the $1.225 billion sale of its Acushnet Company subsidiary, which manufactures and distributes Titleist golf balls and clubs and FootJoy golf shoes and gloves.

Global law firm White & Case LLP advised UniCredit Bank AG, London Branch, as arranger on a new €335 million Turkish covered bond programme for Şekerbank TAŞ and initial issuances thereunder—the first-ever covered bond programme in the Turkish market. Known as the Şekerbank Asset-Guaranteed Bonds, the covered bond is also the first to earn an “A3” rating from Moody’s Investors Service.

Davis Polk is advising Cargotec Corporation in connection with the investment by its wholly owned subsidiary, Cargotec Holding Netherlands B.V., (Cargotec) in China Crane Investment Holdings Limited (China Crane). China Crane is indirectly wholly owned by Carlyle Asia Growth Partners IV, L.P., an investment fund managed by global private equity firm The Carlyle Group. China Crane has a minority shareholding (18.75%) in Jiangsu Rainbow Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (RHI), a joint-stock limited company incorporated in the People’s Republic of China. RHI’s shares are listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Cargotec is acquiring 49% stake in China Crane from Carlyle Asia Growth Partners IV, L.P. for approximately €50 million. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has advised OAO Severstal (“Severstal”) in connection with the update of its US$3billion loan participation note programme on the London Stock Exchange.

The Firm is representing L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. in connection with its plan to spin off a new, independent, publicly-traded government services company.  Under the plan, L-3 would distribute all of the common stock of the new public company to L-3’s shareholders through a special dividend.  The transaction, which is intended to be tax-free to L-3 and its shareholders, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2012, subject to certain customary conditions including receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service as to the tax-free nature of the transaction.

Shearman & Sterling has advised Rakuten on its acquisition of an 80% stake in Tradoria, one of Germany’s leading online e-commerce platforms based in Bamberg.

Dechert represented an affiliate of Randstad Holding nv (Euronext Amsterdam: RAND.AS), the world’s second largest staffing company, in its definitive agreement to acquire the outstanding common stock of SFN Group, Inc. (NYSE: SFN), a strategic workforce solutions company, for $14.00 per common share through a cash tender offer, for a total consideration of approximately $770 million. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the tender of greater than 50% of SFN Group’s outstanding shares, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011. This strategic acquisition will make Randstad the third-largest HR services provider in North America, doubling its presence in the US and reinforcing its leading position in Canada.