The Firm is representing Greenhill & Co. as advisor to Frontier Communications Corporation’s (NASDAQ: FTR) Board of Directors in connection with Frontier Communications’ proposed acquisition of Verizon Communications Inc.’s (NYSE: VZ) (“Verizon”) wireline operations that provide services to residential, commercial and wholesale customers in California, Florida and Texas, for $10.54 billion in cash. These Verizon properties include 3.7 million voice connections, 2.2 million broadband connection, and 1.2 million FiOS® video connections. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first half of 2016. More >>

Paul, Weiss represented Guggenheim Securities as initial purchaser in connection with Dunkin’ Brands, Inc.’s $2.6 billion whole business securitization of its Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurant chains, which closed January 26. DB Master Finance LLC issued securitization notes, rated BBB by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, which, among other things, enabled the company to refinance its existing debt. More >>

Simpson Thacher is representing Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODP) in connection with its proposed sale to Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at an equity value of $6.3 billion. Under the terms of the transaction, Office Depot shareholders will receive, for each Office Depot share, $7.25 in cash and 0.2188 of a share in Staples’ stock, representing $11 per share and a premium of 44% to Office Depot’s stock price based on Staples’ closing share price on February 2, 2015, the last trading day prior to the initial media speculation around a possible transaction. The transaction, which is expected to close by the end of calendar year 2015, is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. More >>

Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, represented the banks in financing the acquisition of PODS, a leader in the moving and storage category, by The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s Long-Term Equities Group from Bahrain private-equity firm Arcapita. The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada. The transaction value is in excess of $1 billion More >>

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, announced today that Brian S. Korn has joined the firm’s Corporate and Finance practice as a partner in its New York office. He joins the firm from Pepper Hamilton LLP, where he founded and co-led the firm’s Crowdfunding and Peer-to-Peer Lending practice More >>

Global specialist law firm Dechert LLP announced today that Michael A. Lehmann has joined the firm as a partner in the International and Domestic Tax group. Lehmann, who will be resident in the firm’s New York office, was most recently a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP More >>

Clifford Chance announced today the recruitment of partner Gianluca Bacchiocchi to its banking and finance practice in the Americas. One of the most respected legal advisers for project finance matters in Latin America, Bacchiocchi’s arrival bolsters Clifford Chance’s market-leading projects and infrastructure practice and enables the Firm to provide even greater support to clients in the region More >>

Cravath represented the agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in connection with the arrangement of a $4 billion five‑year revolving credit facility for Hess Corporation, a leading independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas with operations in more than a dozen countries. The transaction closed on January 21, 2015. More >>

Ricardo Martinez, a lawyer with broad experience in a wide range of cross-border finance transactions, has moved his practice to the rapidly expanding Haynes and Boone, LLP New York office as a firm partner.

In the last five years, Martinez has represented parties in more than $2 billion in financings in Latin America alone. He has also worked extensively with major Chinese and Japanese banks investing in Latin American enterprises and entities. More >>