Cadwalader Adds Chad Mills to Energy and Commodities Practice in Houston

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, a leading counselor to global financial institutions and corporations, today announced that Chad Mills is joining the firm as Partner in its Energy & Commodities Practice in Houston. Mills is a leading practitioner in structured energy transactions and related energy trading agreements, project infrastructure development, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate transactions for clients including energy providers, developers, investors and underwriters in gas, electric power and oil.

“Chad’s addition demonstrates our firm’s continuing ability to attract top talent,” said Patrick Quinn, Managing Partner. “Chad is a great fit with our firm’s emphasis on coordinating our expertise across all our practice areas to produce the best results for clients on their most complex matters. He embraces the opportunity to combine his energy transactional experience with our regulatory, financial, corporate and other strengths to best serve our clients, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him join us.” More >>

Tags:  Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP | Houston

Japan’s Atsumi & Sakai opens in London

Atsumi & Sakai has established an office in London, becoming the first Japanese firm to open its doors in the UK.

The London office, which operates under the name Atsumi & Sakai Europe Limited, advises clients on all aspects of Japanese law, with a focus on M&A, banking, capital markets and securities regulation.
Corporate partner Ryuichi Nozaki has relocated from Tokyo to head Atsumi & Sakai’s London office. He is supported by Tokyo-based senior partner Hiroki Mori, who oversees the firm’s European practice group in Japan. More >>

Tags:  Atsumi & Sakai | London

Willkie Advises GFI Group in $778 million Sale to BGC Partners

GFI Group Inc. and BGC Partners, Inc. announced on February 27 the successful completion of BGC’s tender offer for GFI shares. Willkie advised GFI Group in an agreement announced earlier this month with BGC Partners under which GFI’s board of directors unanimously agreed to support BGC’s tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of GFI common stock at $6.10 per share in cash. The deal is estimated to be valued at approximately $778 million. The agreement brings to a close a long, protracted takeover battle that began last summer. More >>

Tags:  Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP | London | New York | Washington

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP Serves as Counsel in $1.5 Billion Common Stock Offering

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP announced today that it served as sole lead counsel to Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE: HCN) in the completion of its public offering of 19,550,000 shares at a price of $75.50 per share for total gross proceeds of approximately $1.5 billion. The offering was the company’s largest overnight common stock offering in its history. More >>

Tags:  Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP | Toledo

Shearman & Sterling Advises Francisco Partners on Proposed Acquisition by Mitel Networks of Mavenir Systems

Shearman & Sterling is advising Francisco Partners LLP in the proposed $560 million acquisition by its portfolio company, Mitel Networks, of Mavenir Systems.

Mavenir Systems (NYSE:MVNR) provides software-based mobile networking solutions that enable service providers to deliver next generation services over 4G LTE networks. More >>

Tags:  Shearman & Sterling LLP | Palo Alto | San Francisco

Proskauer Advises American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust in Closing of Equity Inns Lodging Portfolio Acquisition for $1.8 Billion

Global law firm Proskauer advised American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust, Inc. (ARC Hospitality) in connection with the completed acquisition of the Equity Inns Lodging Portfolio from affiliates of the Whitehall Real Estate Funds sponsored by Goldman Sachs for $1.8 billion, exclusive of closing costs. More >>

Tags:  Proskauer Rose LLP | New York

Gordon & Rees Pittsburgh Office Doubles in Size with Addition of 17 New Attorneys; Expansion Includes New Office in Harrisburg, PA

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP has expanded its Pittsburgh office with the addition of a 17-lawyer group from Pittsburgh’s sixth largest firm, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote P.C.

The group includes partners John W. Burns, Christopher J. Haselhoff, Matthew J. Horgan, Andrew G. Kimball, Jennifer M. Kirschler, Brant T. Miller and Katie M. Mills, and associates Christine S. Cornell, Beth A. Frederick, Leanne M. Gaefke, Anthony J. Judice, Erica M. Kelly, Lauren M. Kelly and Lauren M. Oelrich, all of whom will be resident in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. Partners Thomas M. Chairs and Aaron S. Jayman, and associate Joshua D. Leaver will be based in the newly-opened Harrisburg, PA office. More >>

Tags:  Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP | Harrisburg | Pittsburgh

Goldberg Segalla’s Doors Open in St. Louis

In a move that signals its broadening national footprint and continued reach into the Midwest, Goldberg Segalla is pleased to announce that the doors to its St. Louis office are now officially open. The office — the firm’s 13th, located at 8000 Maryland Avenue — is helmed by nationally recognized insurance coverage and toxic tort attorney Kurtis B. Reeg.

Mr. Reeg is joined by partner Paul L. Knobbe and associates David M. Frohlichstein, Lynn A. Lehnert, and Matthew A. Temper. More >>

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DLA Piper and Davis announce combination in Canada

DLA Piper LLP (US) and Davis LLP announced today that they have reached an agreement to join forces, effective April 2015. The firm will operate as an integrated part of DLA Piper’s global platform and brand, and will adopt the name DLA Piper (Canada) LLP.

The proposed combination will unite the breadth of practices and industry experience of DLA Piper, one of the world’s leading global law firms, with 4,200 lawyers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, with Davis, a firm with more than 260 lawyers and deep roots in the Canadian and international business communities. More >>

Tags:  DLA Piper | Toronto | Vancouver