On June 29, 2015, Element Financial Corporation, one of North America’s leading fleet management and equipment finance companies, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with GE to acquire GE Capital’s fleet management operations in the United States, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand for an all-cash purchase price of approximately $6.9 billion. Upon closing of the transaction, Element’s combined fleet management operations will include more than one million vehicles under contract. More >>

Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that Thomas W. Christopher has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Corporate Department and a member of its Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Christopher brings almost 30 years of experience advising multinational companies, special committees and financial advisors in negotiated and hostile public M&A transactions. He has also built a strong reputation in corporate governance matters, including shareholder activism and takeover defense matters. More >>

Cravath represented AerCap Ireland Capital Limited and AerCap Global Aviation Trust in connection with their US$1 billion registered debt offering. AerCap Ireland Capital Limited and AerCap Global Aviation Trust are wholly owned subsidiaries of AerCap Holdings N.V., the world’s largest independent aircraft leasing company. The transaction closed on June 25, 2015. More >>

On June 24, 2015, leading international food retailers Delhaize Group and Royal Ahold N.V. announced that they have entered into an agreement to merge in a transaction that will create a combined company, Ahold Delhaize, valued at approximately $29 billion based on their closing share prices on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. Cravath is representing Delhaize in connection with this transaction. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each Delhaize shareholder will receive 4.75 Ahold ordinary shares for each Delhaize ordinary share. More >>

Winston & Strawn LLP is pleased to announce that Brant Maller has joined the firm’s New York office. Mr. Maller’s practice focuses on representing investors of institutional capital in alternative asset classes, including private equity, hedge fund, real estate, and real assets. Independently, Mr. Maller will also continue his work with Alternative Investments Forum (AIF), an independent economic think tank focusing on institutional investment policy. AIF’s mission is to foster education, communication, and information exchange among the largest institutional investors globally. More >>

Loeb & Loeb LLP announced today that Jason R. Lilien, a former Bureau Chief of the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, has joined the firm’s nationally-recognized Charitable Giving and Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice as a partner in the New York office. Lilien’s arrival follows the recent expansion of Loeb & Loeb’s tax-exempt organizations practice with the addition of partners Marcus S. Owens, former director of the IRS Exempt Organizations Division, and Diara M. Holmes who joined the firm in March.

“Following on the heels of the arrival of Marc and Diara in the firm’s D.C. office, Jason’s move further solidifies Loeb’s position as the preeminent law firm in the nonprofit and exempt organizations field,” said Loeb & Loeb Chairman Michael D. Beck. “With a former New York AG official and a former IRS official on our esteemed bench, we are able to offer our nonprofit clients a truly unparalleled service platform.” More >>

On June 17, 2015, two of the world’s leading healthcare technology companies, Hill‑Rom Holdings, Inc. and privately held Welch Allyn, Inc., announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Hill‑Rom will acquire Welch Allyn for approximately $2.05 billion in cash and stock. Cravath represented Welch Allyn in connection with this transaction. More >>

Shearman & Sterling advised Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, in connection with a $7.4 billion aggregate financing, including a $3.7 billion five-year facility and a $3.7 billion 364-day credit facility, for PepisoCo, Inc. More >>

Cahill represented BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Mizuho Securities and the other underwriters in connection with the public offering of $2,000,000,000 of notes, comprised of $700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.800% Notes due 2026, $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Notes due 2035, and $700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.150% Notes due 2046 by International Paper Company, a global paper and packaging company. Proceeds from the offering were used to refinance existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes. More >>

Holland & Knight announced today that corporate attorney Amy Leder has joined the firm as a partner in its New York office. She comes to Holland & Knight from McDermott Will & Emery, where she headed the firm’s New York corporate practice. More >>