Shearman & Sterling is advising Ardagh Group on the financing and antitrust aspects of its $1.7 billion agreement to buy Verallia North America from Compagnie de Saint-Gobain. Ardagh will raise $1.45 billion in high yield bonds in both dollars and euros to finance the acquisition.

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DLA Piper announced today that Joseph Philip Forte has joined the firm’s Real Estate practice as a partner in New York.

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The Firm acted as U.S. counsel for BMO Nesbitt Burns, Credit Suisse Securities (Canada), Barclays Capital Canada, RBC Dominion Securities, CIBC World Markets, HSBC Securities (Canada), and Morgan Stanley Canada as underwriters in connection with a public offering in Canada by MEG Energy Corp. (“MEG”) of 12,125,000 common shares. The common shares were offered in the United States to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and outside the United States to non U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S. MEG intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to partially fund its capital expenditure program and for other ongoing working capital and general corporate purposes.

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Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that the firm represented joint book-running managers and lead arrangers, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BMO Capital Markets, CIT Group, OneWest Bank and U.S. Bank National Association, in connection with the financing of the acquisition of majority equity interest of Planet Fitness Holdings, LLC by TSG Consumer Partners, LLC. The financing consists of a $190.0 million term loan facility and $40.0 million revolving facility. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. served as the administrative agent. BMO Capital Markets, CIT Group, OneWest Bank and U.S. Bank National Association also acted as co-syndication agents.

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SRZ represented MKP Capital Management LLC, a diversified alternative investment manager with over $5 billion in assets under management, in its sale of a passive minority interest to Neuberger Berman Group-managed private equity fund Dyal Capital Partners. Under terms of the deal, which was announced on Jan. 8, 2013, Dyal has no control on the investment process or day-to-day operations at MKP. The transaction allows MKP to broaden employee ownership and long-term leadership, as well as develop stronger relationships with Dyal’s institutional clients.

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The Firm is acting as U.S. counsel to Cogeco Cable Inc. (TSX: CCA) in connection with Cogeco Cable’s proposed acquisition of PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc. (TSX: PIX) for approximately US$642.2 million (C$635 million), or $3.85 in cash per share.

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Simpson Thacher represented Western Asset Middle Market Debt Fund Inc. (the “Fund”) in connection with its $177 million initial public offering of common stock. The Fund’s common stock will not be listed for trading on any securities exchange. Beginning in 2014, the Fund intends, but is not obligated, to conduct annual tender offers for up to 10% of its common stock then outstanding in the sole discretion of its board of directors. It is anticipated that the Fund will terminate on or before December 31, 2020.

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Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that the firm represented UBS AG, Stamford Branch, as administrative agent and UBS Securities LLC and General Electric Capital Corporation as joint lead arrangers for the senior secured financing of Consolidated Precision Products Corp.’s acquisition of the Turbine Technologies Group of ESCO Corporation from ESCO Corporation and ESCO Turbine Components Europe, sprl. The senior secured financing consists of a $515,000,000 first lien senior secured term loan and revolving credit facility and $185,000,000 second lien senior secured term loan facility. Consolidated Precision Products Corp. is a leading manufacturer of highly-engineered castings serving the commercial aerospace, military and industrial markets and is owned by private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

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Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Michael J. O’Brien has joined the Firm as partner in its New York office. Mr. O’Brien will be a member of the Firm’s M&A and Private Equity group.

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Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Joshua B. Rovine, former General Counsel of Advisory Services at The Blackstone Group and Chief Compliance Officer of Blackstone Capital Partners, has rejoined the firm’s Pooled Investment Entities (PIE) Group as a partner in New York. He will also be a member of the firm-wide Investment Funds, Advisers and Derivatives (IFAD) Practice, concentrating primarily on hedge fund and fund of funds formation (including buy-side representations), as well as investment adviser regulation and compliance. Mr. Rovine was previously a partner at Sidley from 1998 – 2002.

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