Simpson Thacher represented the underwriters Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC in the recent public offerings of $300 million aggregate principal amount of 7.125% Senior Notes Due 2018 and $200 million aggregate principal amount of 3.00% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2016 issued by iStar Financial Inc.

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Global law firm Proskauer advised the Board of Directors of Leucadia National Corporation in an all-stock transaction with Jefferies Group, Inc., that values the global investment bank at approximately $3.8 billion.

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Weil is advising Leucadia National Corporation, a US holding company, in the merger of Leucadia and Jefferies Group, Inc., a US financial services company. The deal has a total equity value of roughly $2.6 billion, or $3.7 billion when Leucadia’s existing 28.6% ownership stake is included. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2013.

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In one of the largest corporate financings of the year, international law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, led by Global Securities partner Robert W. Mullen, Jr., acted as underwriters’ counsel in a series of major debt offerings by Verizon Communications Inc. totaling $4.5 billion.

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Cahill represented Deutsche Bank Securities, BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, HSBC and J.P. Morgan as joint book-running managers in connection with a public offering of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.625% Senior Notes due 2022 by Celanese U.S. Holdings, LLC.

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As reported in the Wall Street Journal, on November 9 Willkie client Goldman Sachs Mortgage Company funded $1.85 billion of first mortgage and mezzanine loans secured by a portfolio of hotels owned by Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, LP, a subsidiary of Kokusai Kogyo K.K., a Japanese company, which is jointly owned by foreign and domestic funds, accounts and other entities controlled or managed by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P and/or Cerberus Real Estate Capital Management, LLC (55%) and Kokusai Kogyo Holdings K.K., an entity owned and controlled by Mr. Takamasa Osano and his family members and/or affiliated entities (45%).

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Shearman & Sterling is representing SafeNet, Inc. in its definitive agreement to sell its Government Solutions Business to an undisclosed buyer. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of 2012. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that the firm represented Royal Bank of Canada and BNP Paribas as lead arrangers and Royal Bank of Canada as administrative agent in connection with new senior secured first lien credit facilities, consisting of a $250 million term loan facility, a $30 million delayed draw term loan facility and a $35 million revolving credit facility, the proceeds of which were used, among other things, to refinance the existing first lien and second lien credit facilities of Milk Specialties Company.

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Covington & Burling represented UBS Securities LLC, financial advisor to Leucadia National Corporation (NYSE: LUK), in its announced $3.6 billion acquisition of Jefferies Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF).

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McDermott Will & Emery LLP today announced the appointment of Jeremy R. Johnson as a partner based in the Firm’s New York office. Mr. Johnson will provide McDermott’s Restructuring & Insolvency practice with valuable debtor-side representation and creditor experience.

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