Cozen O’Connor continues to increase the depth of the firm’s litigation capabilities in New York with the recent hiring of five new partners. Partners residing in the firm’s New York office who have joined in recent months include John J. Sullivan, Michael B. de Leeuw, Patrick B. Sardino, William K. Kirrane and Adam I. Stein.

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Simpson Thacher represented First Data Holdings Inc. (“First Data”) in steps designed to increase its flexibility and options to refinance and extend the maturities of its current capital structure. To effect these changes, First Data agreed to issue $300 million of new convertible preferred equity to KKR and other existing shareholders. The net proceeds will be used to repay a portion of the approximately $2 billion of its 11.5% senior PIK notes due 2016, with the remainder to be exchanged for new 14.5% senior PIK notes due 2019.

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Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the New York branch of Deutsche Bank AG as Administrative Agent as well as Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., RBC Capital Markets and UBS Securities LLC as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners of senior secured facilities provided by a syndicate of banks for the acquisition financing of German-based CeramTec Group by European private equity firm Cinven from US chemicals manufacturer Rockwood Holdings.

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King & Spalding has recruited Matthew J. Bromberg, former senior managing counsel and managing director in the Global Fund Services Group of The Bank of New York Mellon, as partner in its financial institutions and capital transactions and real estate practices in New York.

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The firm is representing Del Monte Corporation in connection with the sale of its Consumer Products Business to Del Monte Pacific Limited, for $1.675 billion.

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Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP today announced that Brian S. Lichter will join the firm as a partner in its Real Estate Practice. The addition of Mr. Lichter, whose experience covers a wide range of commercial real estate transactions, will help Davis Polk meet strong client demand in its growing real estate practice.

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Shearman & Sterling is representing The Dow Chemical Company in the divestiture of Dow’s global Polypropylene Licensing & Catalysts business to W. R. Grace & Co. for $500 million

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The Republic of Turkey closed today a $1.25 billion Sukuk offering, its second such closely-watched financing transaction within the last 14 months. The Republic had closed its first-ever Islamic finance offering in September, 2012, which consisted of lease certificates due in 2018 and had also raised $1.5 billion. In the latest offering, the New York and London offices of Arnold & Porter LLP again acted as Turkey’s international legal counsel, in association with Somay Hukuk Burosu, the Republic’s Turkish counsel.

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Simpson Thacher is representing First Reserve Corporation in connection with its equity investment in an aggregate $1.7 billion fund-raising by American Energy – Utica, LLC (“AEU”). The proceeds of the fund-raising will be used by AEU to pursue a business plan focused on the Utica Shale play in eastern Ohio, including acquiring acreage of leaseholds and financing drilling operations which are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2013.

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On October 9, Willkie client Men’s Wearhouse announced that after careful evaluation its Board of Directors has determined to reject a $2.3 billion buyout bid from men’s apparel retailer Jos. A Bank Clothiers, Inc. As widely reported in the press, the Board concluded that the unsolicited, non-binding proposal of $48 per share “undervalues Men’s Wearhouse and its strong prospects for continued growth and value creation, and is not in the best interests of Men’s Wearhouse or its shareholders.” Founded in 1973, Houston-based Men’s Wearhouse is one of North America’s largest specialty retailers of men’s apparel with 1,137 stores. Based in Hampstead, MD, Jos. A Bank has over 600 stores nationwide.

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