Global law firm White & Case LLP advised the lead lenders representing a syndicate of 27 global commercial banks in a five-year US$3 billion senior revolving export credit facility for Vale SA, the world’s second-largest mining company, and its Swiss and Canadian subsidiaries. The Firm acted for Natixis, as administrative agent, and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, JPMorgan Securities LLC, Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. and Natixis, as lead lenders.

Shearman & Sterling is advising private equity firm Advent International and its portfolio company The Priory Group on the financing for the latter’s acquisition of Craegmoor Group Limited. The financing comprised a high yield bond offering of £206 million of 7% senior secured notes due 2018 (the “additional senior secured notes”). The high yield bond offering was issued under an indenture dated 3 February 2011 pursuant to which Priory initially issued £425 million of the same notes. The net proceeds from the issuance and sale of the additional senior secured notes are being used to re-finance existing debt of Craegmoor as part of Priory’s acquisition of Craegmoor.

Stena Bulk has entered into a joint venture with the Danish shipping company Dannebrog Rederi and acquired 50 percent of the shares in Stena Weco. Stena Weco will operate the Weco Shipping product tanker business previously held by Dannebrog Rederi and will initially have a fleet of approximately 30 product tankers. Stena Bulk will contribute its extensive experience of tanker operations and resources to Stena Weco.

Salans LLP has advised S-Finanzgruppe, represented by Deutsche Sparkassen- und Giroverband (DSGV), in connection with the acquisition of DekaBank.

Curtis advised the shareholders of BARC GmbH, a leading German consulting and research company in the field of business software applications with business activities in German speaking countries and the United Kingdom, on the sale of all of their shares to its French partner le CXP S.A.

Wragge & Co’s Intellectual Property (IP) team has secured a winning High Court judgment for new client, global pharmaceutical company H. Lundbeck A/S in a patent dispute with Infosint.

Willkie represented longtime client Level 3 Communications in its tax-free, stock-for-stock acquisition of Global Crossing Limited. The transaction, announced on April 11, is valued at approximately $3.0 billion, including the assumption of approximately $1.1 billion of net debt. It will create a premier global communications provider with an owned network in more than 50 countries and connections to more than 70 countries.