DLA Piper announced today that Eric Wallach, Brian Kaplan, Joseph Piesco and Daniel Turinsky have joined the firm’s Employment practice as partners in New York.

The group has broad experience successfully defending litigation in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration, in addition to counseling and litigation prevention; internal compliance audits and anti-harassment training; and negotiation and drafting of employment, consulting and severance agreements. They also represent employers, corporate boards and special committees in internal investigations of alleged officer, employee and director misconduct, and executive employees to defend their actions before law enforcement and regulatory agencies. They work with a wide range of clients in sectors that include banking, investment management and other financial services; apparel and retail; media and entertainment; advertising and marketing; and manufacturing and industrial. More >>

Davis Polk is advising PartnerRe Ltd. in connection with its $11 billion merger of equals with AXIS Capital Holdings Limited. PartnerRe shareholders will receive 2.18 shares of the combined company’s common shares for each share of PartnerRe common shares they own and AXIS Capital shareholders will receive one share of the combined company’s common shares for each share of AXIS Capital common shares they own. The transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2015, is subject to approval by the shareholders of both companies, regulatory clearance and customary closing conditions. More >>

Rock-Tenn Company (“RockTenn”) and MeadWestvaco Corporation (“MWV”) announced that they have entered into a definitive combination agreement to create a leading global provider of consumer and corrugated packaging in a transaction with a combined equity value of $16 billion. Cravath represented RockTenn in connection with this transaction, which is subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other closing conditions and is expected to close during the second calendar quarter of this year. The combined company will be named prior to closing. More >>

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. has bolstered its insurance and reinsurance dispute capabilities with the addition of Marc L. Abrams, who joins the firm’s Litigation practice. Mr. Abrams, who was previously a partner at Nelson Brown & Co., will be a Member in the firm’s New York office. More >>

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 (the “Program”) and the offering of US$2.25 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, 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 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 J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as the representatives for the offering of the senior notes. More >>