Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP announced today that Jeffrey I.D. Lewis has joined the Firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, resident in the New York office. Mr. Lewis concentrates on patent litigation and also handles trademark matters, as well as other intellectual property and general litigation. A trained chemical engineer and registered patent attorney, Mr. Lewis represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a range of technology-related sectors but focuses primarily on pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biotechnology and life sciences; he has represented pharmaceutical innovators in numerous Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) patent litigations. More >>

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 >>

Simpson Thacher represented Nielsen Finance LLC and Nielsen Finance Co., indirect subsidiaries of Nielsen N.V., in connection with their issuance of $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2022 in an offering conducted in reliance upon Rule 144A and Regulation S. The notes represent a further issuance of the 5.000% Senior Notes due 2022 that were issued on April 11, 2014 and July 8, 2014. Nielsen intends to use the net proceeds of this offering to make repurchases of its outstanding common stock from time to time, in the open market or otherwise, pursuant to its existing share repurchase programs, to reduce outstanding amounts under its revolving credit facility, to pay related fees and expenses, and for general corporate purposes. More >>

General Maritime and Navig8 Crude (N-OTC: BLUE) entered into a definitive agreement to create Gener8 Maritime Inc. (“Gener8 Maritime” or the “Company”), a world-class provider of international seaborne oil transportation services. Under the terms of the agreement, General Maritime and Navig8 Crude will merge to create a company with a fleet valued at over $3.0 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction. More >>

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Rory J. McEvoy has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Labor and Employment group. For nearly four decades, Mr. McEvoy has represented clients in a wide variety of management-side labor and employment matters, including employment litigation in federal and state courts and before federal, state, and local anti-discrimination agencies; collective bargaining; arbitrations; and unfair labor practices before the National Labor Relations Board. In addition, Mr. McEvoy represents clients in all aspects of the employment relationship, including non-compete litigations, breach of employment contracts, wage and hour matters, and defamation. He joins the Firm from Locke Lord Edwards LLP (formerly Edwards Wildman Palmer) where he served as the Chair of the Labor and Employment Group. He is based in Blank Rome’s New York Office. More >>

The Firm represented Aramark in connection with a secondary offering of 30,000,000 shares of Aramark’s common stock by certain selling stockholders, resulting in proceeds of $896.4 million to the selling stockholders. The offering closed on February 23, 2015. More >>

Willkie represents HBC in agreement to form a real estate-focused joint venture.

On February 25, 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 agreed to form a joint venture focused on credit tenant, net-leased and multi-tenanted retail buildings in the United States and internationally. More >>