Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Salans

Salans advises GAGFAH on the acquisition of 4,900 residential units in Berlin
International law firm Salans has successfully advised GAGFAH S.A. on the acquisition of a residential unit portfolio in Berlin from the Apellas group. In this regard GAGFAH assumes shares of Apellas' former holding company.

The portfolio comprises more than 4,900 rental units, located in prime residential areas in Berlin. The acquisition is expected to be finalised in February 2007. Salans had already advised GAGFAH S.A. in several tenders last year.

Adviser to GAGFAH S.A.: Salans (Berlin): Dr. Hermann Meller (Leading partner; corporate law), Dr. Detlef Spranger (corporate and real estate law); Associates: Andreas Goerth, Stephanie Krebs, Dr. Christian Post.

Adviser to apellas: Hengeler Mueller (Berlin)

01-15-2007

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Piper Rudnick, L.L.P.

DLA Piper steps up push into Africa
Reindorf Chambers becomes fifth African law firm to join DLA Piper Group

Global legal services organisation, DLA Piper, has reinforced its African capabilities following its exclusive agreement with Ghana-based Reindorf Chambers. The six-lawyer firm becomes the fifth African law firm to join DLA Piper Group and is one of only a handful of Ghanaian law firms to have an alliance with an international legal provider such as DLA Piper.

Accra-based Reindorf Chambers was established in 1990 and has four partners and two other lawyers. The firm's particular strengths lie in the areas of banking and project finance, trade finance, mining and natural resources and related financing, corporate and commercial law. To date, DLA Piper and Reindorf Chambers have worked together on trade deals and a large oil infrastructure project. The Ghanaian law firm has both domestic and international clients including large mining houses and international banks. Through their close working relationship both firm's believe they will offer real benefits to foreign investors and international companies looking to do business in Ghana, as well as those already active in the market.

In addition to working with the African law firms within the DLA Piper Group, DLA Piper boasts its own team of Africa specialist litigators and arbitrators and lawyers with direct transactional experience gained in the financial, telecoms, energy, infrastructure and commodities sectors.

"We have enjoyed working with DLA Piper and in going forward we are delighted that we will be able to deepen our working relationship in order to provide our clients with a much extended range of first-rate legal services," said Fui Tsikata, partner and head of Reindorf Chambers.

Charles Morrison, head of DLA Piper's Africa Group, said: "I have personally worked both with and on the other side to Reindorf lawyers over many years and I know very well just how good a firm they are. I am very pleased that we have been able to bring lawyers of such high standing and reputation within their own jurisdiction into the expanding DLA Piper Group. The Africa-wide capability that we have as a firm is allowing us to assist clients in a joined-up way that other major firms just cannot match."

Reindorf Chambers becomes a member of DLA Piper Group on 15 January. The exclusive alliance also has African members in Egypt, South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania, and works closely with non-member firms in other countries such as Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Portuguese speaking Africa to offer a range of international legal services to clients.

01-15-2007

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Piper Rudnick, L.L.P.

DLA Piper expands its Asian Energy Team with appointment of Paul Fredrick in Tokyo
DLA Piper today announced the appointment of a leading energy lawyer, Paul Fredrick, as Counsel in Japan. His extensive experience for Japanese companies in the oil and gas sector includes work on LNG projects and the acquisition and disposal of energy assets as well as cross-border pipeline projects in Asia, the Caspian, Middle East, Africa and Australia.

Mr Fredrick handles matters related to energy, finance, project development and international mergers & acquisitions. He joins DLA Piper's well-regarded Asian energy and infrastructure team as well as the firm's corporate group.

DLA Piper has a strong track record in advising some of the world's leading oil and gas companies as well as governments on projects, financing and energy-related issues.

Prior to his appointment, Mr Fredrick served as Counsel with a leading multinational energy law firm in Tokyo. Mr Fredrick has also served as General Counsel for ITOCHU Oil Exploration Co in Tokyo and worked for major law firms in California and Hawaii.

Mr Fredrick was recognised in 2006 by AsiaLaw as a 'Leading Lawyer' for his qualifications and experience in corporate governance, energy and natural resources, general corporate practice, merger & acquisitions and project finance. He serves as a member of the American Bar Association's International Energy & Resources Transaction Committee and is a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, and the Energy Bar Association.

"International markets for energy are becoming increasingly complex – volatile oil prices, emerging economies with their thirst for resources are posing new opportunities and challenges, geopolitical uncertainties, shifting demand from traditional to renewable sources, climate change and so on. This evolving environment means major oil and gas companies in Japan and elsewhere need a trusted legal as well as business adviser," said Nick Seddon, Asia Managing Director of DLA Piper. "Paul has the global track record and extensive experience in Asia to provide our growing portfolio of clients with the insights they demand to remain competitive in these demanding times."

Lance J. Miller, Managing Partner of DLA Piper’s Tokyo office, said the hire was in response to local and international demand. "Paul's appointment is part of our long-term strategy to continue expanding our global energy practice in line with client demand, building Tokyo as another major centre for operations. There is also growing local interest from Japan in the type of high-level expertise Paul offers in cross-border mergers and acquisitions," said Mr Miller.

01-15-2007

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Piper Rudnick, L.L.P.

DLA Piper launches its European M&A Survey 2007
New research from international legal services organisation DLA Piper reveals no end in sight for the M&A boom witnessed in 2006, with one third of European corporates and almost 40 percent of private equity houses expecting their acquisition rate to increase over the next two years. Only one in ten corporates and one in nine private equity houses forecast a decrease in their M&A activity over the same period.

The research was conducted with over 240 European organisations, comprising both corporates and private equity houses that have participated in the recent M&A cycle. It revealed that, as competition for deals has intensified, buyers are looking further a field for acquisition opportunities. A quarter of corporate buyers see Eastern Europe as a region that presents a number of interesting targets, whilst 20 percent cited Asia as a particular hot spot (with China and India highlighted). Despite this broadening of geographic horizons, Western Europe remains high on the priority list for corporates seeking further acquisition opportunities.

The survey revealed that, in addition to geographies, few industry sectors are considered off limits. The financial and business services sectors remain especially in vogue, with approximately 40 percent of respondents in these industries predicting increased acquisition rates and only 5 percent anticipating a decline.

Despite the M&A boom, only one in five corporate buyers rates their acquisition strategy over the last three years as “highly successful”, and less than a quarter believe they have “nothing to improve on” in relation to their approach to acquisitions.

In addition, buyers are struggling to streamline their M&A processes. Although European corporates recognise that speed of execution is critical in a competitive M&A environment, many are consistently underestimating the time it takes to complete an acquisition, with almost 50 percent indicating that the average acquisition takes more than six months. Four in ten acquisitions by private equity firms are also taking longer than anticipated. Contributing factors include the increasing size and complexity of deals and insufficient planning and preparation.

European corporates and private equity houses continue to emphasise the need for contractual cover as part of the M&A process. Although there is a growing appreciation of the availability and potential benefits of warranty and indemnity insurance, only 3 percent of buyers feel that this concept is “always suitable” as a means of bridging the risk gap between buyer and seller. Indeed, more buyers (10 percent) still consider such cover “never” to be appropriate as a means of mitigating risk.

Bob Bishop, Head of European M&A at DLA Piper: “It is encouraging to see that there is no sign of the current M&A boom running out of steam. However, as competition intensifies, there seems to be a general acceptance amongst buyers that areas of the acquisition process can be improved upon, particularly in the planning and preparation stages. Despite an acknowledgement that speed of execution is a critical factor in a competitive environment, many deals are still taking longer than anticipated.

“By streamlining acquisition processes, applying a more balanced methodology to measuring success and shifting focus away from execution to include more emphasis on integration, both corporates and private equity houses alike should be able to improve their current acquisition strategies. This should place them in good stead for M&A opportunities over the year ahead.

01-15-2007

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Jones Day, P.C.

Linda Hesse Joins Jones Day's Paris Office as Partner in Securities and Capital Markets Practice
The international law firm Jones Day is pleased to announce that Linda Hesse has joined its Paris Office as partner. Admitted to the New York and Paris bars, Linda Hesse will head the Paris securities and capital markets practice which is presently composed of European counsel Frank Martin Laprade and two associates. The team will work closely with the M&A practice (notably Wesley Johnson and Sophie Hagège), the private equity practice (Olivier Edwards and Renaud Bonnet) and the banking & finance practice (Philippe Billot, Pierre-Nicolas Ferrand and Edward Nalbantian) as well as with the real estate practice (Jean-Louis Martin) and the tax practice (Vincent Agulhon and Christopher Potter).

Linda Hesse has acted for issuers with respect to their listings on the Paris and/or New York stock exchanges (notably France Telecom, Groupe Danone, Ipsen, Orange, Seloger.com, Parrot) and in connection with various regulatory matters with the AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) and the SEC. She also advises public companies in connection with general securities law matters, including in particular equity, equity-linked and complex debt issuances (STMicroelectronics, Usinor) and public tender offers (such as France Telecom’s acquisition of Orange minority shareholdings). Linda Hesse has also regularly advised investment banks – including most recently BNP Paribas, Calyon, Morgan Stanley and Société Générale – with respect to capital markets transactions such as the capital increases of Rhodia, Suez and Vinci and initial public offerings.

"We are pleased to welcome Linda to our Paris Office. She will enhance our expertise in securities and capital markets. As a result, we will better meet our clients’ needs in these areas, notably with respect to public company mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Linda’s arrival will allow us to better advise our clients in connection with their capital markets transactions and their filings with the AMF and the SEC," said Wesley R. Johnson, Jr., Partner-in-Charge of the Paris Office.

Linda Hesse received a Juris Doctor with High Honors from George Washington University (1994), a Certificate of Political Studies from Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (1988) and a Master of Arts (French Language and Civilization) from New York University (1991). She is a member of the International Bar Association and chairs the Sub-Committee for Regulatory Affairs which is part of the Securities Law Committee.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Linda Hesse worked for ten years with the law firm Shearman & Sterling in New York (1994-1995) and Paris (1996-2004) and for two years at the Paris office of the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

01-15-2007

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Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C.

Jenkens & Gilchrist Expands Financial Institutions Practice Group
Jenkens & Gilchrist has increased the capabilities of its nationally recognized Financial Institutions practice group with the addition of Elizabeth H. Corey.

"Liz has extensive experience in banking regulations, including such hot button issues as BSA/AML, privacy and consumer compliance. Her vast experience will complement Jenkens & Gilchrist’s current practice strengths,” said Peter Weinstock, leader of the firm’s Financial Institutions Practice Group. “Her welcome addition will add significant depth for our clients.”

Ms. Corey’s experience includes over ten years as legal counsel to national bank examiners, supervisors and bank counsel on legal issues affecting national banks. As legal counsel with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, she coordinated and consulted with state and federal bank regulatory agencies as well as federal and state law enforcement officials.

Ms. Corey received her B.B.A. from Hofstra University in 1977, and her J.D. from University of Houston Law Center in 1980.

01-15-2007

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Howrey, LLP

Howrey Begins ’07 with a Catch of Six Laterals
Howrey began the year by fortifying its four offices in New York, London, San Francisco, and Munich by adding Michael Armstrong, William Purcell, Paul Rooney, Jeremy Brown, Leigh Kirmsse, and Marc Groebl, according to LawCrossing. “Howrey Chairman and CEO Robert F. Ruyak said that he hoped that the lateral expansion move would help the firm become the first choice for clients in practice areas of intellectual property, antitrust, and global litigation.

01-15-2007

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