Morrison & Foerster LLP announced today that Sharon Parella has joined the firm’s Financial Services group as a partner in its New York office.

The firm is representing an investor group consisting of affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., Natural Gas Partners, Crestview Partners and Itochu Corporation, in their acquisition of Samson Investment Company, one of the largest private exploration and production companies in the United States, for $7.2 billion.

Pharmasset, Inc. (Nasdaq:VRUS) and Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) announced today that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Gilead will acquire Pharmasset for $137 per share in cash. Pharmasset is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical whose primary focus is the development of oral therapeutics for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The transaction, which values Pharmasset at approximately $11 billion, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012.

The Firm represents Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Greenhill & Co., LLC in connection with MeadWestvaco Corporation’s spin-merger of its Consumer & Office Products (“C&OP”) business with ACCO Brands Corporation.  MeadWestvaco’s C&OP business will be spun off in a new entity which will be immediately merged into ACCO Brands in a transaction valued at approximately $860 million to MeadWestvaco and its shareholders on a pre-synergy basis. At closing, MeadWestvaco shareholders will receive 50.5% of the shares of ACCO Brands stock and MeadWestvaco will receive $460 million of cash. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2012.  Goldman Sachs advised MeadWestvaco on the transaction and Greenhill provided an independent fairness opinion to MeadWestvaco’s board of directors.

Davis Polk advised Barclays Capital and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC in connection with a new $500 million senior secured term loan facility for NXP B.V. Proceeds of the new facility are being used to redeem a portion of NXP’s outstanding secured fixed- or floating-rate bonds. The facility documents also provide for additional incremental term facilities.

The Firm recently represented Peabody Energy Corporation (Peabody) in connection with the financing of the acquisition by PEAMCoal Pty Ltd (PEAMCoal), a joint venture which is indirectly owned 60% by Peabody and 40% by ArcelorMittal, S.A., of shares of Macarthur Coal Limited (Macarthur) tendered in connection with PEAMCoal’s takeover offer.  Macarthur is a leading producer of coal product used for steel making with production and development assets located in Australia.

Keith N. Costa has joined Schiff Hardin LLP as a Partner in the Restructuring, Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Group from Akerman Senterfitt LLP in New York. 

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP announces that David A. Lewis has joined the firm in its Lawyers Professional Responsibility/Risk Management Group. Mr. Lewis will practice in Hinshaw’s New York office.

Davis Polk advised Canadian National Railway Company (CN) on a registered public offering of $300 million aggregate principal amount of its 1.45% notes due 2016 and $400 million aggregate principal amount of its 2.85% notes due 2021. The notes were offered under the Multijurisdictional Disclosure System for U.S. and Canadian issuers adopted by the SEC.

International law firm McDermott Will & Emery LLP represented Evolution Fresh, Inc and Fireman Capital Partners in the sale of Evolution Fresh, Inc. to Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX).