Law Firm News

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Law Firm News

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Wiley, Rein & Fielding, L.L.P.

Kathleen A. Kirby Joins Wiley Rein Partnership
Wiley Rein is pleased to announce that Kathleen A. Kirby has been named a partner in the firm’s preeminent Communications Practice. Ms. Kirby, who joined the firm as Of Counsel in 1998 after a career as a radio-broadcaster, represents broadcast clients—including major radio and television group owners—on regulatory and transactional matters before the Federal Communications Commission. With broad expertise in newsgathering, content regulation and First Amendment issues, Ms. Kirby has served as First Amendment Counsel for the Radio-Television News Directors Association since 1994 and recently was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame.

Managing Partner Richard E. Wiley commented, “Kathy has been a key participant in our media practice since joining the firm and we congratulate her on this notable achievement.”

Ms. Kirby received a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America and a B.S. from the University of Virginia.

07-06-2007

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Salans

Salans advises Croma-Pharma on the acquisition of the ophtalmologic activities of Cornéal
Salans has advised the Austrian pharmaceutical group Croma-Pharma on the acquisition of the ophthalmologic activities of the French company Cornéal from Allergan France.

The team advising Croma-Pharma included:

* Johannes Jonas, Partner, assisted by Patricia Leguy for France and Germany
* Juan Ignacio Alonso Dregi, Partner, for Spain
* Tomasz Dabrowski, Partner, assisted by Jaroslaw Grzywinski for Poland

07-06-2007

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Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP

Jeff Rohr Honored With the President’s Award from Cancer Family Care
(Cincinnati, Ohio) Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP partner, Jeffery L. Rohr, was presented with the Justin Friedman President’s Award from Cancer Family Care (CFC) at a banquet on May 22 at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.

The Award was presented in grateful recognition of Rohr’s time and dedication to strengthening the wellbeing and alleviating the suffering of children, adults and families coping with cancer. Rohr has been an active member of CFC’s board since 2001. During his term as board president, CFC completed its most successful fund raising campaign in the history of the organization and transitioned its leadership to a new Executive Director. The Award was established in 1971 by Pauline Cohen and Justin Friedman, who served as President of CFC’s Board of Trustees from 1971-1973 and continued as a Trustee until 1979.

Rohr’s other community involvement has included working with Mental Health Services East, Inc. as a Board Member and Chair and serving the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Young Lawyer’s Section on the Executive Committee. Rohr was named one of The Best Lawyers in America in 2007 for his work in Banking Law, and has been recognized with an AV Rating, the highest given to lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.

Rohr practices corporate law with an emphasis on corporate finance, health care and real estate. He earned his B.S., magna cum laude, in Business from Miami University and his J.D., cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center.

07-06-2007

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Davis Polk & Wardwell

KWG Property Holding Limited Initial Public Offering
Davis Polk & Wardwell advised Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and ICEA Capital Limited as the international underwriters in connection with a US$582 million global offering by KWG Property Holding Limited. The global offering consisted of an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and an international offering in reliance on Rule 144A/Regulation S.

KWG Property Holding Limited is one of the leading property development companies in Guangdong province in the PRC.

The Davis Polk corporate team included partners William F. Barron and James C. Lin, associates Stephen Takahashi and Bate Yu and summer associate Margaret Chow, all of the Hong Kong office. Partner John D. Paton and associate Brian Radigan of the London office provided tax advice. Partner Nora M. Jordan and associate Rachel J. Strum, both of the New York office, provided 1940 Act advice. Grace Tong Li and Sandra Cheng of the Hong Kong office were the legal assistants for the transaction.

07-06-2007

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Davis Polk & Wardwell

Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. Initial Public Offering
Davis Polk & Wardwell advised Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and Lehman Brothers Inc. as joint bookrunners and representatives of the underwriters on the US$125.9 million SEC-registered initial public offering of Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. The initial public offering consisted of 8,992,700 American Depositary Shares, each representing three ordinary shares. The American Depositary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol ‚SPRD.?

Based in Shanghai, China, Spreadtrum Communications, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets baseband processor solutions for the wireless communications market. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of highly-integrated processor solutions that support a broad range of wireless communications standards.

The Davis Polk corporate team included partner John G. Crowley and associates Jason H. Pan and C. Alan Fu of the Hong Kong office. The NASD team included counsel Marcie A. Goldstein and legal assistant Peggy A. Petercsak of the New York office. Partner John D. Paton of the London office and former associate Matthew H. Hawes of the New York office provided tax advice. Sandra Cheng of the Hong Kong office was the legal assistant on the transaction.

07-06-2007

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Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP

Weil Gotshal Offices Continue Strong Momentum
The German offices of the international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP recorded a highly profitable year in 2006 which has continued into the first half of 2007. The firm’s increase in income for the first six months of 2007 is again in the double-digits.

The exceptional results reflect the German offices’ top rankings in Private Equity, M&A and Restructuring transactions. In the first half year, the following clients, among others, were advised on transactions:

* Villeroy & Boch AG on the sale of its tiles business
* J.C. Flowers on its intended bid for Landesbank Berlin
* Texas Pacific Group and TPG-Axon Capital on the sale of their 27.3% share in freenet AG
* General Electric on the sale of its plastics business
* Monitor Clipper Partners on the acquisition of Vfw AG and a takeover offer to the shareholders of CCR Logistics Systems AG
* Berkshire Partners on its investment in Masai Group International

Given this client base, Weil Gotshal was also able to also attract some distinguished new talent, including Martin Buntscheck (formerly Gleiss Lutz) for Antitrust/Competition, Andreas Mauroschat (formerly Hengeler Mueller) for Employment as well as Michael Kohl (formerly Lovells/Broich Bezzenberger) and Wolfgang Süss (formerly Shearman & Sterling) for finance.

07-06-2007

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White & Case, LLP

$2.175 Billion Banking Acquisition is First Significant Investment in Central Asia by a Major Western Financial Services Group
White & Case advised the principal shareholders of JSC ATF Bank ("ATF"), Kazakhstan's third largest bank, in relation to the proposed sale of a majority shareholding in ATF to the Italian financial services group UniCredit (acting through its subsidiary Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG). The acquisition by UniCredit marks the first significant investment in Central Asia by a major European financial services group. The purchase price for the entire outstanding capital of ATF is $2.175 billion, together with an amount equal to a capital increase to be carried out before completion of the transaction.

Completion of the transaction is subject to Italian, Austrian and Kazakh regulatory approvals. As the transaction is expected to be completed during the second half of 2007, the purchase price will be adjusted to reflect an element of ATF's net profits for 2007.

While UniCredit's objective is to acquire the entire issued outstanding capital of ATF through both the above mentioned acquisition of shares from the principal majority shareholders and mandatory tender offer to be launched for the remaining minorities, following completion, it will own at least 85 percent of the share capital of ATF.

"Backed by a fast growing economy, the Kazakh banking sector has exploded in the last couple of years. Domestic lending has surged and many of the banks have been tapping the international capital markets for regulatory capital to meet this demand," commented White & Case partner Yuriy Maltsev. "More importantly, the robustness of Kazakhstan's banking sector, which was structurally overhauled in 2005, and the strength of its financial regulatory regime, make it an attractive and credible investment opportunity."

The White & Case team acting for the shareholders comprised partner Yuriy Maltsev and associate Michael Rayson in Almaty, and partner Greg Hammond and associate Charlie Chipchase in London. Associate James Meakin in London advised on tax matters.

White & Case has a wealth of additional M&A experience in the banking sector having acted on a number of other deals including: advising Sabanci Holding and Akbank, Turkey's largest private bank, in the sale of a 20 percent equity stake to Citigroup for approximately $3.1 billion; advising Dexia, a key player in Belgian retail banking, in its acquisition of 75 percent of Turkish bank Denizbank, for a purchase price of $2.4 billion; and advising Danske Bank A/S in its €4.05 billion acquisition of Finnish bank Sampo Bank plc, a subsidiary of Sampo plc, the Finnish financial services group.

The ATF transaction is not the first time White & Case has broken new ground in Kazakhstan. In late 2006 the Firm advised JSC KazMunaiGas Exploration Production, a subsidiary of NC KazMunaiGas, the Kazakh state oil and gas company, on its initial public offering of shares and Global Depositary Receipts to institutional investors. The flotation raised $2.03 billion, making it the largest IPO in Kazakhstan's history. In the same period White & Case also acted for JSC Kazkommertsbank in its global offering of Global Depositary Receipts to institutional investors on the London Stock Exchange. The offering raised $845 million and was the first significant international equity offering by a bank from a former Soviet Union state.

07-06-2007

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