In a significant victory for client Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, a team of Shearman & Sterling lawyers successfully defeated an approximately $400 million fraudulent conveyance claim asserted against Fairfax in conjunction with proceedings relating to the confirmation of the Plan of Reorganization of AbitibiBowater Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Debtors”). After a contentious multi-week trial in Wilmington, Chief Bankruptcy Judge Kevin J. Carey confirmed the Debtors’ Plan and overruled all of the objections relating to the fraudulent conveyance claim. The Court’s opinion was predicated largely on the arguments advanced by the Shearman & Sterling team.

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Computer manufacturing giant Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has dropped its appeal of a $19 million patent infringement verdict won last year by attorneys from McKool Smith on behalf of technology provider Opti Inc.

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International legal practice Norton Rose LLP has advised Liberum Capital Limited in its role as sole bookrunner, nominated adviser and financial adviser in connection with the placing and the admission to AIM of the entire ordinary share capital of Zanaga Iron Ore Company Limited. The company listed on 18 November 2010.

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A team of lawyers from Dewey & LeBoeuf is representing energy services company AGL Resources Inc. in its recently announced deal to acquire Nicor Inc., the parent company of natural gas distribution company Nicor Gas, in a transaction with an enterprise value of $3.1 billion, including a total equity value of $2.4 billion payable in cash and stock. After the deal is completed, which is expected in the second half of 2011, AGL shareholders will own approximately 67 percent of the combined company.

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The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP served as counsel to Liberty Acquisition Holdings Corporation (“Liberty”) in connection with its purchase of Promotora de Informaciones, S.A. (MCE: PRS.MC; NYSE: PRIS, PRIS.B) (“Prisa”), the world’s leading Spanish and Portuguese-language media group. The $1.5 billion reverse-acquisition is the third blank check transaction for Nicolas Berggruen and Martin E. Franklin, the founders of Liberty, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

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Leading full-service law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today that the firm will open a  London office. More >>

Simpson Thacher advised FXCM Inc. on the initial public offering of shares of its Class A common stock. Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan and Citi were the lead underwriters for the $242.5 million offering. The shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “FXCM” on December 2, 2010. FXCM is a global online provider of foreign exchange (forex) trading and related services to retail and institutional customers world-wide.

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Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to have represented Resort Gaming Group LLC (RGG) and its owner, Andrew B. Donner, in a huge real estate deal announced this week that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman called “a watershed moment” for the city. The transaction will result in leading online footwear and clothing retailer Zappos.com moving its 1,000-plus employee corporate campus from suburban Henderson, Nevada, to downtown Las Vegas, creating an immediate need for commercial and residential development in an area that is in need of economic revitalization.

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DLA Piper represented ThompsonGas, the largest privately-held propane distributor in Maryland and, with these acquisitions, the 16^th largest in the United States, in its acquisition of L & L Propane, a propane distribution and service company that serves customers in Alabama and Mississippi. The transaction closed on December 6.

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