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 >>

Willkie represents HBC in formation of a real estate-focused joint venture.

On July 22, Willkie client Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), owner of Saks Fifth Avenue and other leading department stores, and Simon Property Group Inc., a major retail real estate owner, announced they have closed the formation of a joint venture focused on credit tenant, net-leased and multi-tenanted retail buildings in the United States and internationally. More >>

On July 24, 2015, Anthem, Inc. and Cigna Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Anthem will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna in a cash and stock transaction and Cigna shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 Anthem common shares for each Cigna common share. The total per share consideration equates to approximately $188 for each Cigna share based on Anthem’s unaffected closing share price on May 28, 2015, valuing the transaction at approximately $54.2 billion on an enterprise basis. Cravath represented Cigna in connection with this transaction. More >>

McDermott Will & Emery announced today that Christen Douglas has joined the Firm’s Private Client Group as a partner in the New York office. She was previously a senior associate at another AmLaw 100 law firm.

Ms. Douglas’s practice includes trust and estate planning, administration and litigation. She counsels individuals and families with respect to estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxation, family business succession and philanthropic planning. She also works closely with individual and corporate fiduciaries in administering trusts and estates. More >>

Murphy & McGonigle, P.C. announced today that Stephen J. Crimmins has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Washington DC and New York offices. Mr. Crimmins’ arrival continues the strong trend of top litigation and regulatory talent joining the financial services law firm that was founded in 2010 and now numbers 43 lawyers.

“Steve is a great addition to our firm. He is well known and respected by the defense bar as a thoughtful, collegial and highly-effective trial lawyer,” said James Murphy, Chairman of Murphy & McGonigle. “Steve adds to our deep pool of former SEC Enforcement lawyers, bringing 14 years of experience at the SEC, first as a trial attorney and then as the Deputy Chief Litigation Counsel,” continued Murphy. More >>

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP announced today that Patrice P. Jean has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property practice as a partner in the firm’s New York office. Jean was previously a partner at Kenyon & Kenyon LLP.

Jean received a B.S. degree, summa cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana (1993); she holds both Masters (1996) and Ph.D. (1999) degrees in molecular biology from Princeton University; and she earned a J.D. (2002) from Columbia Law School where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review. Jean has extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious patent matters involving pharmaceutical products, bio-engineered cells, animal vaccines, medical devices, and diagnostic tests. More >>

Reed Smith LLP today announced the addition of Niket Rele as a partner in its Corporate Transactional Advisory Group in New York.

Rele was formerly a partner in the Corporate Department and Information Technology and Outsourcing Group and Chair of the India Practice at Wiggins and Dana. Prior to Wiggin, Rele was with a corporate boutique firm which he co-founded in New York City. Prior to that Rele was an attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and White and Case. He also practiced at Crawford Bayley & Co in Mumbai, India. More >>

Benesch is pleased to announce that Joseph A. Castrodale, Gregory J. Phillips, Yelena Boxer and Andrew G. Fiorella will be joining the firm as partners in the Litigation Practice Group. They will be based in Benesch’s Cleveland office. Formerly with Ulmer & Berne LLP, together the four attorneys will bring to Benesch decades of experience representing large corporate clients in complex business and commercial disputes in federal and state courts throughout the country. More >>

Reed Smith LLP today announced the addition of Niket Rele as a partner in its Corporate Transactional Advisory Group in New York.

Rele was formerly a partner in the Corporate Department and Information Technology and Outsourcing Group and Chair of the India Practice at Wiggins and Dana. Prior to Wiggin, Rele was with a corporate boutique firm which he co-founded in New York City. Prior to that Rele was an attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and White and Case. He also practiced at Crawford Bayley & Co in Mumbai, India. More >>