New Partner Joins Sedgwick’s Cyber Security Practice

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Sedgwick LLP announced that Cinthia Granados Motley joined the firm as a partner in its Chicago office. Motley practices in the areas of cyber security and privacy, ERISA, multi-jurisdiction commercial litigation, and insurance.

“Cinthia’s tremendous experience in cyber security and ERISA will be a great asset to our firm and client teams,” said Sedgwick Chair Michael Healy. “She is an exceptional attorney who adds to the strength of our international practice and will no doubt provide valuable insight to our clients in areas that are of increasing concern to the business community.” More >>

Tags:  Sedgwick LLP | Chicago

Dentons Adds Top FAA Unmanned Aircraft Executive to Strong Aviation Team

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Dentons today named James H. Williams, previously the Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Integration Office, as a Principal in the Firm’s Public Policy and Regulation Practice. In this role, Williams will advise clients on aviation technology, regulatory, and compliance issues with particular emphasis on the military, consumer, and commercial use of unmanned aircraft. He will be resident in the Firm’s Tysons Office in McLean, Virginia.

Williams joins Dentons following more than 25 years of distinguished service with the FAA where he held a Top Secret security clearance. In 2012, he was selected to serve as manager of the FAA’s newly-created Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, the single agency focal point for all UAS-related activities, to develop and coordinate solutions to the challenges presented by drones across the FAA and external organizations. In this capacity Williams was instrumental in improving inter-agency cooperation to expand unmanned military and commercial aircraft access to US airspace and served as the agency’s spokesperson on all UAS-related issues. This includes briefing congressional members and their staff on the FAA’s activities related to unmanned aircraft as well as preparing the FAA Administrator for congressional hearings and testifying before the House Aviation Subcommittee Congressional Roundtable and the House Science Committee. More >>

Tags:  Dentons | Tysons Corner

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete Opens Minneapolis Office

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP, a national law firm, is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Minneapolis which expands the firm’s footprint to 28 offices in 17 states.

Constangy has named Piyumi Samaratunga, a leading corporate immigration attorney, to head the new office which will focus primarily on corporate immigration and global mobility. “Piyumi brings an unparalleled set of skills with her experience in international law, the corporate sector and as an immigrant. Her strong business aptitude and knowledge of global corporate immigration law will enhance Constangy’s position as a key strategic business partner for employers adapting to the rapidly changing diverse global workforce,” said Neil Wasser, Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee. More >>

Tags:  Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP | Minneapolis

Holland & Knight Expands Real Estate Practice in Boston

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Holland & Knight announced today that real estate lawyers Frank Stearns and Nadya Makenko have joined the firm’s Boston office as partner and senior counsel respectively. They previously were with K&L Gates.

Mr. Stearns has almost 30 years of experience advising a broad range of clients in commercial real estate developments and managing the permitting, financing and development of office, residential and other commercial development projects. He also manages national leasing assignments for technology companies. His clients include developers, institutional investors, buyers, sellers, financial institutions, hospitals, landlords, tenants and others involved in real estate and business transactions. He has worked extensively with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on environmental permitting and liability issues, and has managed large-scale brownfield developments. More >>

Tags:  Holland & Knight LLP | Boston

Theodore T. Eidukas Joins Quarles & Brady Energy Practice Group

Monday, July 27, 2015

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP today announced that Theodore T. Eidukas has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in its Energy Practice Group.

Eidukas’ practice focuses on utility regulatory and complex commercial litigation matters, representing clients in all aspects of litigation, including trials, appellate arguments, motion practice, depositions, and other discovery. More >>

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Akerman Expands National Labor & Employment Practice with Litigators Pete Morrison and John Roache in Chicago

Monday, July 27, 2015

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced the expansion of its Labor & Employment Practice Group with partners John “Pete” Morrison and John Roache in Chicago. Together they bring complementary practices counseling and defending multistate and international employers in all types of employment litigation, including class and collective actions. Morrison and Roache also enhance the firm’s significant experience in wage and hour claims, employment discrimination, non-compete and trade secret issues. More >>

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Synchrony Financial’s $1.0 Billion Senior Notes Offering

Monday, July 27, 2015

Davis Polk advised the several underwriters in connection with Synchrony Financial’s SEC-registered offering of $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 4.500% senior notes due 2025.

Based in Stamford, Connecticut, Synchrony Financial is one of the premier consumer financial services companies in the United States. Synchrony Financial’s roots in consumer finance trace back to 1932, and today it is the largest provider of private label credit cards in the United States based on purchase volume and receivables. Synchrony Financial provides a range of credit products to finance the purchase of goods and services through programs it has established with a diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and health care service providers. More >>

Tags:  New York

Lana Sims IV Joins Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Greenville Office

Monday, July 27, 2015

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. is pleased to announce the addition of Lana H. Sims IV in the Greenville office.

Mr. Sims focuses his practice on commercial real estate and financial transactions, as well as real estate and commercial litigation. Mr. Sims has experience in drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, deeds, mortgages, commercial leases, and other real estate documents. He also advises commercial lenders with regard to asset-based lending, construction financing, real estate financing, and equipment financing. In his litigation practice, he has had the opportunity to represent local businesses, homeowners’ associations, and community banks as well as national lenders and title insurance companies. In transactional matters, Mr. Sims draws from his banking and real estate litigation experience in advising lenders, developers, property owners, and businesses on practices to avoid real estate and commercial disputes down the road. More >>

Tags:  Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A. | Greenville

Goulston & Storrs Welcomes Jason Dunn as Real Estate Director in Boston

Friday, July 24, 2015

Goulston & Storrs is pleased to announce that Jason Dunn has joined the firm’s Real Estate practice in its Boston office. Jason joins the firm as a Director.

Joining Goulston & Storrs from Ropes & Gray LLP, Jason has a wide-ranging practice that encompasses all aspects of commercial real estate, with a focus on representing domestic and foreign institutional clients in equity and debt investments in North American real estate and infrastructure through funds, joint ventures and REITs. Through his representation of tax-exempt and foreign investors, Jason has experience with tax and ERISA transaction structures. Other aspects of Jason’s commercial real estate practice include acquisitions and dispositions, occupancy and ground leases, sale-leasebacks, development and financing. More >>

Tags:  Goulston & Storrs PC | Boston

Simpson Thacher Represents the Dealers in Connection with the Update of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s $50 Billion Medium Term Notes Program and Senior Notes Offering Thereunder

Friday, July 24, 2015

Simpson Thacher recently represented the dealers in connection with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s (“SMBC”) update of its US$50 billion Global Medium Term Notes Program and the offering of US$3 billion of senior notes thereunder. The senior notes were guaranteed by SMBC’s New York branch and offered and sold in reliance on the exemption from SEC registration provided in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act. SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited, Barclays Bank PLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Merrill Lynch International, Nomura Securities International, Inc. and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. are dealers under the program. Goldman, Sachs & Co., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays Capital Inc. and Nomura Securities International, Inc. acted as the representatives for the offering of the senior notes. More >>

Tags:  Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | Tokyo