Venable LLP has added veteran real estate attorney Peter G. Koffler to its New York office to lead the Real Estate Group, looking to further expand and strengthen its New York real estate profile and to complement its well-respected national real estate practice.  He joins Venable from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, where he practiced for the last decade.

Pryor Cashman LLP (www.pryorcashman.com) today announced that James R. Klaiber, formerly with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, has joined the firm as a partner and member of the Intellectual Property Group in the firm’s New York City office.

Pryor Cashman LLP (www.pryorcashman.com) is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its Corporate Group with the addition of new partner Bertrand C. Fry, who joined the firm today in its New York City office.

Covington & Burling advised SandRidge Energy, Inc. on its announced acquisition of Dynamic Offshore Resources, LLC for $1.275 billion in cash and stock. Under the agreement, SandRidge will pay about $680 million in cash and approximately 74 million shares of SandRidge common stock valued at $8.02 per share. Covington also advised SandRidge on the related $725 million in committed financing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and Royal Bank of Scotland that the Company may use to fund the cash portion of the consideration.

The national law firm of Epstein Becker Green (EBG) today announced that William M. Barron has joined the Litigation practice as a Member of the Firm in its New York office.

Davis Polk is advising Thomas & Betts Corporation on its approximately $3.9 billion acquisition by ABB Ltd. The transaction is subject to approval by Thomas & Betts’ shareholders, as well as to customary regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the middle of 2012.

Pillsbury today announced that Anthony Schouten and Jeffrey Stern have joined its Finance group as partners in New York. Formerly with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, the highly-regarded partners’ experience includes securitization, derivatives, commodities and cross-border structured financings. Their addition continues Pillsbury’s strategic expansion of its New York office and further strengthens the firm’s capabilities for advising commercial and investment banks, asset managers, private equity funds and global businesses in structured finance.

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Eric Simonson has joined the Firm as a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity group. Mr. Simonson has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities, corporate finance, technology transactions, general business and corporate law. Mr. Simonson is based in the Firm’s New York office.

Davis Polk is advising Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Barclays Capital as joint lead arrangers and joint physical bookrunners of a $3.5 billion senior unsecured bridge loan facility for Eastman Chemical Company, in connection with its acquisition of Solutia Inc.

Latham & Watkins LLP is pleased to announce that Courtenay Myers Lima has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Corporate Department. Myers Lima advises financial institutions on a broad variety of public and private capital markets offerings, regulatory matters and corporate governance.