Hogan Lovells announced today that it acted as legal counsel for NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the competitive energy subsidiary of long-time client NextEra Energy, Inc., on its purchase of one of the world’s largest photovoltaic solar power projects, the 550 MW Desert Sunlight Solar Farm near Desert Center, CA.

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is pleased to announce that Andrew E. Tomback is joining the firm as a partner in its New York office. An accomplished attorney with more than 25 years of experience drawn from business, private practice, and government service, Mr. Tomback handles a full range of civil and criminal litigation before the ‎courts, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and various ‎other regulators. He focuses on litigations and investigations involving federal securities ‎laws, complex litigation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and international arbitrations. This news builds on last month’s announcement that Steven M. Cohen, who was most recently Secretary to New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, joined the firm to lead the expansion and development of its New York office. Respected litigator and appellate lawyer Paul Shechtman also joined the firm earlier this week.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP today announced the addition of five bank finance and high yield partners to its existing New York acquisition finance practice.  Joining the firm will be: Ronan M. Wicks and Patrick J. Flanagan, formerly partners at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York; Bruce Czachor, formerly a partner at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York: Julian S.H. Chung, formerly a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP in New York; and Jason D. White, head of the leveraged and high grade finance and credit restructuring practices in the Americas for the legal department of Barclays Capital.  The new partners will join Orrick’s acquisition finance practice group of which Ronan Wicks will now serve as global co-head.

The New York office of Haynes and Boone, LLP has added two partners, George Wang and Nir Yarden, as part of its strategic expansion of its corporate and capital markets practices. The combined practices of Mr. Wang and Mr. Yarden are focused on servicing the corporate and financing needs of private equity and hedge funds, prime brokers and other institutional capital market clients.

Simpson Thacher represents Almacenes Exito, the largest retailer in Colombia, with its global offering of 114,270,684 common shares, which is expected to raise approximately US$1.4 billion in gross proceeds.  The common shares were offered on the Colombian Stock Exchange on a fixed share price basis during a three week subscription period.  The common shares were registered with the Colombian Financial Superintendency and offered to the public in Colombia, and offered internationally to qualified institutional buyers in the United States as defined in Rule 144A in reliance on exemptions from registration provided by the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S.

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is pleased to announce that Paul Shechtman is joining the firm as a partner in its New York office. Among New York’s most respected and sought-after litigators, Mr. Shechtman comes to Zuckerman Spaeder with more than 30 years of experience drawn ‎from private practice and government service, which included serving as the Director of Criminal Justice under New York Gov. George E. Pataki. He has been recognized for his appellate and white collar work, and he will continue to build those practices at Zuckerman Spaeder. Mr. Shechtman’s arrival follows last month’s announcement that Steven M. Cohen, who was most recently Secretary to New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, joined the firm to lead the expansion and development of its New York office.

Davis Polk advised Western Refining, Inc. in connection with the September 22, 2011 amendment and restatement of its existing senior, secured asset-backed revolving credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto. Pursuant to the amendment and restatement, Western Refining increased the facility size to $1 billion, extended the maturity of the facility to September 22, 2016, reduced the rate of interest and fees, added borrowing base availability, and made certain other changes, including increased flexibility with respect to certain covenants. In conjunction with the amendment and restatement, Western Refining also amended certain provisions of its existing senior, secured term loan facility to conform to corresponding provisions in the revolving credit facility.

Christopher Roman has joined King & Spalding as a partner in its tax practice in New York City, the firm announced today. Roman has extensive experience in the tax issues associated with private equity fund formation and investment, real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies. He joined King & Spalding from Clifford Chance, where he was a partner in its tax practice.

Avinash “Avi” Ganatra, a corporate lawyer with extensive experience in US and cross-border capital markets, securities and leveraged finance, has joined the global legal practice Squire, Sanders & Dempsey as a partner in its New York office.

Baker Hostetler announced today that and Theodore (Ted) J. Kobus III has joined the firm’s Intellectual Property Group in its New York office. He joins as Partner and national co-leader of the Privacy, Security and Social Media Team. He serves as team co-leader with Partner Gerald J. Ferguson. Kobus comes to Baker Hostetler from Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin.