Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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1  1471 1472 1473 1474 1475  3627

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Baker & McKenzie, L.L.P.

Landmark Financing by Société Générale of Panda Ethanol Plant Wins “North American Ethanol Deal of the Year”
Baker & McKenzie announced today that the debt financing of Panda Ethanol Inc.’s 100 million gallon-per-year ethanol facility in Hereford, Texas was named "North American Ethanol Deal of the Year 2006" by Project Finance magazine. Baker & McKenzie represented Société Générale in connection with the deal, which closed on July 31, 2006.

Panda’s Hereford project was recognized as "a technologically compelling project coupled to a mix of all of the new sources of debt finance – banks, municipal finance and hedge funds." The deal is the first large ethanol project that will utilize manure to generate the thermal energy necessary to produce ethanol. Société Générale arranged approximately $158.1 million of senior secured debt facilities, including a $50 million letter of credit that supports tax-exempt bonds issued in connection with the project and a $5 million working capital facility.

"We congratulate the Société Générale team on winning this award and are pleased to have represented them in this transaction. This was an exceptionally complicated financing and we think deserves recognition as deal of the year," said Chris Groobey, project finance Partner in Baker & McKenzie’s Washington, D.C. office. "The recognition also is a testament to our Firm's capabilities as a leading counsel to lenders and investors in the largest and most innovative ethanol projects in North America and around the world.”

In the past year, Baker & McKenzie has been involved in many other landmark deals in the biofuels industry, such as advising Goldman Sachs and Jefferies & Company as the arrangers of debt and equity to the first East Coast ethanol plant -- the Northeast Biofuels project in upstate New York -- and advising TD Banknorth Project Finance in numerous transactions, including in connection with the first destination ethanol plant – Pacific Ethanol’s project in Madera, California.

The Baker & McKenzie team who advised Société Générale on the Panda Hereford project was led by Chris Groobey and included associate Heather Batzel in Washington, D.C.; environment Partner Richard Saines, project finance Partners Larry Haas and Pauline Doohan, and associates Christopher Kopecky and Eric Sievers in Chicago; and project finance attorney Isabelle Demenge in New York.

02-14-2007

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Baker & McKenzie, L.L.P.

Baker & McKenzie LLP Act on the Sale of TAS-Kommerzbank to Swedbank
Baker & McKenzie, London and Kyiv have advised the owners on the sale of the Ukrainian bank TAS-Kommerzbank ("TAS") to Swedbank. The sale price amounts to US$735 million, including an equity contribution to TAS of US$50 million to be made around the time of completing the transaction. An additional payment of up to US$250 million is payable in three years, depending upon financial performance.

TAS, based in Kyiv, is one of the faster growing banks in the Ukrainian retail segment. The bank has 170 branches and 2,300 employees, with over 100,000 retail and 9,000 corporate clients.

The deal is subject to approval from relevant authorities and is expected to be completed in the second half of this year.

The Baker & McKenzie joint team was led from London by corporate Partner Gordon Low, assisted by associate Rob Hewitt. Corporate Partner Olexander Martinenko, supported by associates Ihor Kitela and Ihor Olekhov, provided advice on Ukrainian matters.

Commenting on the transaction, Gordon Low said: "We are very pleased to have acted on such a significant transaction in the Ukrainian banking sector, one on which we were able to bring to bear our considerable regional and sector experience, and combine it with our cross-border transactional expertise to meet an exacting timetable."

Olexander Martinenko continued: “The transaction required an enormous level of commitment from our team across a range of disciplines, and we are very proud to have made a joint London-Kyiv contribution to another significant bank acquisition in Ukraine.”

The owners were advised by HSBC.

Swedbank was advised by Lehman Brothers and Swedbank Markets, and was represented by Advokatfirman Vinge KB, Clifford Chance LLP and Shevchenko Didkovskiy & Partners.

02-14-2007

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Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C.

HARRISON APPOINTED NAMED FELLOW OF THE ABA NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE TRIAL JUDGES
The Michigan Law Firm of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. is pleased to announce that Michael G. Harrison has been named a fellow of the American Bar Association National Conference of State Trial Judges in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the state judiciary.

Formerly an Ingham County Circuit Judge, Harrison now practices with Foster Swift from the firm’s Lansing office, in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation and Arbitration.

02-14-2007

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Certilman, Balin, Adler & Hyman, LLP

Certilman Balin Adds Two New Associates
Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP has announced that Yale Pollack and Kevin P. Walsh have become associates at the firm.

Yale Pollack (Great Neck) has joined the Litigation Practice Group and will work from the firm’s East Meadow office. In the Spring of 2006, through his participation in Touro Law School’s externship program, Mr. Pollack worked closely with the firm’s Labor and Employment Partners. Prior to joining Certilman Balin, he worked as a summer associate for two other law firms on Long Island. He also served as a Judicial Law Clerk to The Honorable Arthur D. Spatt, District Judge, of the Eastern District of New York. Before embarking on his legal career, Mr. Pollack worked two years as an Associate for Coldwell Banker Commercial Properties Unlimited in Manhattan.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Colgate University in 2001, and participated in a study abroad program at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2006, and graduated magna cum laude. While at law school, Mr. Pollack was Associate Editor of the Law Review where he published “New York State Constitutional Decisions: 2004 Compilation” in the 2005 edition of the Touro Law Review; made the Dean’s List; received two academic awards; and spent a summer studying at the University of Potsdam in Germany. He is admitted to practice in the state of New York.

Kevin P. Walsh (Setauket) has joined the Environmental Practice Group, working from the firm’s Hauppauge office. During his last year of law school, Mr. Walsh clerked in the Law Offices of Richard S. Cody, Esq. in Mystic, Connecticut. Prior to that, he interned at the Internet Bureau of the New York Attorney General’s Office. In the summer of 2004 in Santa Barbara, California, Mr. Walsh interned with the More Mesa Preservation Coalition, where he conducted research to protect this environmentally sensitive habitat. His other experience includes work at the University of Connecticut’s School of Law Foundation and an internship at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Walsh graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2006, where he earned a Dean’s Scholarship. He served as Associate Editor of the Connecticut Journal of International Law and as Secretary of the Environmental Law Society. He earned his Bachelor of Degree in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross in 2003. While an undergraduate, Kevin served on the Habitat for Humanity Executive Board and as that organization’s Spring Break Group Leader. He continues to volunteer his time to that cause. He is admitted to practice in the states of New York and Connecticut.

02-14-2007

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Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association

Twin Cities’ Briggs and Morgan Appoints New President
Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association, announces the installation of its new president, Alan Maclin. Maclin succeeds Richard Mark, who served as the firm’s president for the past five years. Alan Maclin has served as Briggs’ litigation department head for the previous five years. He has also been on the firm’s board of directors for seven years and serves on the Briggs and Morgan Foundation board of directors and as a member of the executive committee. During his term as president, Maclin will maintain active leadership as a director and member of the executive committee, in addition to managing the firm and practicing law in select areas.

“Alan has long been a well respected litigator at our firm,” says Mark. “He will not only offer a fresh perspective for our shareholders and clients, but he will also lead with respect and intelligence — the same traits that make him an exceptional lawyer.”

Maclin joined Briggs in 1980 after working as special assistant attorney general for Minnesota. He received his B.A. magna cum laude in history and philosophy from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1974. While at Briggs, Maclin’s litigation practice has grown to include lead defense of numerous groundbreaking class actions challenging various mortgage banking and commercial practices, along with representation of manufacturers, financial institutions and other groups in connection with antitrust and consumer class actions nationwide. He also concentrates on complex commercial litigation, antitrust and trade regulation, defense of governmental enforcement actions and investigations, and complex trust and estates litigation.

Maclin was named one of Minnesota’s top 40 business litigators by Minnesota Law & Politics; he is also a recognized “Super Lawyer” and “Leading Minnesota Attorney.” He is a member of the Civil Litigation and Antitrust Sections of the Minnesota State Bar Association; the Antitrust Section and Forum Committee on Franchising of the American Bar Association; and the State Bar of Wisconsin.

“Briggs is a great place to practice law and I am honored to be selected president by my partners, especially after Briggs has experienced several years of strong revenue growth and an increase of significant legal work,” Maclin says. “As client demands continue to intensify, I look forward to working with firm management to strengthen Briggs’ presence as a sophisticated, cutting-edge provider of legal services.”

Briggs’ outgoing president, Richard Mark, completes the firm’s maximum presidential term of five years. Under Mark’s leadership, a number of initiatives took shape, including the development and execution of a strategic plan, and increased commitment toward diversity awareness within the firm. Mark will remain active in his practice and continue to handle client defense in major commercial litigation.

02-14-2007

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Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

GUNSTER YOAKLEY WELCOMES UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO TO SOUTH FLORIDA
Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, in conjunction with The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and the investment advisory firm Carl Domino, Inc., recently held a private reception to welcome United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to South Florida.

The gathering held at the Hyatt Regency’s Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. attracted many of the state’s most prominent legal, political and business leaders including:

* Chief Judge Jay Cristol, US Bankruptcy Court
* Chief Judge William Zloch, Southern District of Florida
* Chief John Timoney, City of Miami Police
* State Representative Carl Domino of Palm Beach Co.
* State Representative Richard Glorioso of Tampa Bay
* Italian Consul General Dott. Gianfranco Colognato
* Carlo Ferrari, Italian Trade Commissioner
* Bob Butterworth, Secretary of Department of Children and Families for Florida
* Monsignor Franklyn Casale, President of St. Thomas University
* Joseph Amaturo, President of Amaturo Groups
* Dr. Philip Frost, Chairman of the Board of Ladenburg Thalmann
* Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli, NIAF Chairman
* Salvatore Zizza, NIAF President

“NIAF played an important role in the nomination and confirmation process of Justice Alito by ensuring it was fair and impartial,” said Arthur J. Furia, Gunster Yoakley shareholder and NIAF Regional Vice President in his introduction. “We are pleased to have this rare opportunity to honor and welcome a great American legal scholar of Italian heritage.”

Justice Alito regaled the gathering with stories of the difficulties of the confirmation process, including an unsubstantiated rumor that his grandfather was not born in Italy. The Italian Ambassador from Italy himself secured and released the birth certificate to authenticate his Italian birth right in the Region of Campagna. He expressed his deep appreciation to NIAF in which he has been a council member for over 20 years which helped to keep ethnicity as a non-issue during the hearings and public discourse.

NIAF, a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C., has served the Italian-American community for the past 32 years and has played a pivotal role in preserving Italian culture in America. Its programs have helped young people through scholarships, mentoring, U.S./Italy exchange, internships, youth retreats, and much more. Visit www.niaf.org for more information.

02-13-2007

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Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC

Baker Donelson Expands Labor & Employment Practice
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, announces the addition of attorneys David E. Gevertz and Erica V. Garey to its Labor & Employment Department. Both attorneys practice from the Firm's Atlanta office.

David Gevertz, a 1995 graduate of Harvard Law School, joins the Firm as shareholder. He represents companies in complex employment litigation and has substantive experience in litigation involving accommodations claims brought against restaurants, theme parks, testing entities and other places of public accommodation. He also counsels companies on employment law compliance and litigation avoidance. In 2006, Mr. Gevertz was selected by Georgia Super Lawyers magazine as a "Super Lawyers Rising Star," which recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state.

Erica Garey is a 2004 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and joins the Firm as an associate. She focuses her practice in labor and employment matters involving employment discrimination, restrictive covenants, public accommodations and class and collective action claims related to federal and state wage and hour laws.

"We continually strive to bring the best available talent to the Firm to serve our clients," stated Mike Powell, managing shareholder of the Firm's Atlanta office. "David Gevertz and Erica Garey represent a substantial addition to the experience and knowledge we are able to offer our clients. We are pleased to welcome them to our ranks."

"The addition of these fine attorneys to our group furthers our ongoing commitment to a 'best-of-class' labor and employment practice," said Steven H. Trent, head of the Firm's Labor & Employment Department. "Each brings significant experience in an area of law that grows increasingly more complex for businesses to understand and navigate."

The Baker Donelson Labor & Employment Department represents local, regional and national clients in all types of labor and employment matters including litigation, as well as litigation avoidance through ensuring compliance with employment-related laws and regulations and extensive training programs for client supervisors and managers. Baker Donelson is ranked among the top 10 labor and employment litigation firms in the country by Employment Law 360, a national news source for employment law and human resources professionals.

02-13-2007

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