Search results for

The US$944 million financing package for Osprey Maritime Limited of Singapore to purchase Gotaas-Larsen Shipping Corporation is the largest non-government ship finance transaction. It is also the largest US dollar syndicated loan provided by Singapore banks.

German sportswear company Adidas is acquiring French rival Salomon, best known for skiing equipment, for Ffr8 billion (US$1.3 billion). The first part of the transaction is the purchase of 100% of Sport Developpement, a private family company owning 39% of Salomon shares representing 56% of the company's voting rights. A public offer will follow. Adidas will become the second largest sportswear manufacturer, behind US rival Nike.

Chicago-based McDermott, Will & Emery has opened a Silicon Valley office. The office will focus on high technology issues and intellectual property. It is the firm's 11th office, and eighth within the US. "The opening of a Silicon Valley office is a natural geographic extension of our high technology and intellectual property practice," says chairman Larry Gerber. "The demand for legal counsel on complex intellectual property issues and international work is so high that we felt it necessary to expand our west coast capabilities."

Dr Peter Derendinger, general counsel at Credit Suisse Group, Zurich, talks to Paul Lee

The Perth office of Australian firm Freehill Hollingdale & Page has completed its merger with Perth rival Parker & Parker. The office will use the Freehill name. "There was a very strong business case for our firms to merge," says Peter Mansell, managing partner of Freehill Hollingdale & Page Perth. "Our aim is to provide eastern states expertise and depth at Western Australian rates. There will no longer be the need for Western Australia corporates to take legal advice in the east."

UK firms Clifford Chance and Freshfields have both added to their US law capabilities, each hiring a senior US-qualified lawyer in September. US lawyer Peter Cleary has joined Freshfields from Chadbourne & Parke. A project finance specialist with over 15 years of experience in Asia, he joined the UK firm's Hong Kong office on September 1.

Cleveland firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey has opened an office in Madrid. The office will be headed by Juan Picón, formerly at Clifford Chance, Madrid. It opened on September 1 and will be staffed by six lawyers.

Reforms to the Italian capital gains tax system will have significant implications for the capital markets and the repo and securities lending markets. By Susanna Beltramo and Marina Savastano of Studio Legale Beltramo, Rome

The German Securities Trading Supervisory Authority’s latest guidelines for the conduct of investment services business are out. Alexander Vogt and Peter Waltz of Oppenhoff & Rädler, Frankfurt, assess them in the context of existing rules

As with all emerging markets, securitization offers Peru new forms of debt instrument with a greatly reduced risk of default. New rules should boost the developing market. By Esteban Mancuso of White & Case, New York