General Growth Properties, Inc., the country’s second-biggest shopping mall owner, announced that it has successfully completed the final steps of its financial restructuring and has emerged from chapter 11. A multidisciplinary Willkie team advised a Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. consortium as DIP lender and cornerstone investor ($2.6 billion) that successfully — in conjunction with other independent equity sponsors — acquired a significant equity stake in GGP upon its emergence from chapter 11 for a total of $6.5 billion. GGP, an over $30 billion REIT, issued equity under its confirmed plan of reorganization with a market value of approximately $9 billion.

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International legal practice Norton Rose LLP acted for Europa Capital, the European private equity real estate fund manager, on the sale of a strategic stake to Rockefeller Group, creating a $20 billion (£12.7bn) fund management group.

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A three-continent team of lawyers from K&L Gates LLP recently advised United States clean water and antimicrobial technology company HaloSource, Inc., on the company’s $80 million institutional placing – including a $30 million vendor placing – and admission to the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market. Trading in HaloSource’s shares commenced in October, giving HaloSource an initial market capitalization of approximately $158 million.

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International law firm Eversheds has advised the management team and individual shareholders of AZ Electronic Materials in its £900 million initial public offering (IPO), one of the largest IPO’s in Europe this year.

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Bird & Bird has advised Hangar 8, one of the largest operators of private jets in Europe, on its admission to AIM.  It is anticipated that the ordinary shares of Hangar 8 will be admitted to AIM for trading on or about 10 November 2010.  Based on the placing price, Hangar 8 will have a market capitalisation of circa £9.5 million. Daniel Stewart & Company plc was the nominated adviser and broker.

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Atlas Pipeline Holdings L.P. and Atlas Energy, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Atlas Holdings to acquire from its parent, Atlas Energy, all of Atlas Energy’s partnership management business and certain producing oil & gas assets for total consideration of $250 million, consisting of $220 million in newly issued Atlas Holdings common units and $30 million in cash. Covington & Burling LLP advised the Special Committee of Board of Directors of Atlas Holdings on the transaction.

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Wragge & Co’s corporate experts have advised new client, NYSE-listed Cambrex Corporation, on acquiring a 51% stake in Indian pharmaceutical company Zenara for $20 million. The US-based life sciences company will acquire the remaining stake in early 2016 at a value to be determined.

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DLA Piper advised DM BZWBK and BZ WBK on the introduction of Agroton shares to the Warsaw Stock Exchange (“WSE”). Agroton, the fourth largest agriculture producer in Ukraine, is the latest Ukrainian company to debut on the Warsaw market, which is fast becoming one of Europe’s most attractive exchanges.

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Goodwin Procter obtained a significant victory for its client, Countrywide Financial Corporation, when the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted Countrywide’s motion to dismiss the amended complaint in Maine State Retirement System v. Countrywide Financial Corporation, et al. on November 4, 2010.  The Maine State case is a putative class action asserting claims under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to numerous public offerings of mortgage-backed securities issued by subsidiaries of Countrywide, formerly one of the largest residential mortgage lenders in the country.  The complaint was dismissed in its entirety, with leave to amend, for lack of standing and on statute of limitations grounds.

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