DLA Piper has advised on the €750m (£620m) re-financing of NH Hoteles, a large Spanish hotel group and one of the top 25 hotel chains in the world. The transaction was structured by means of several instruments including a €200m club deal, €250m high-yield bonds and €250m convertible bonds and involved 19 jurisdictions. DLA Piper acted […]
DLA Piper has been ranked as a tier-two law firm in the first edition of World Transfer Pricing 2014, a directory of leading transfer pricing advisory firms, published by International Tax Review (Euromoney Publishing House). The tax group in Ukraine is led by Svitlana Musienko. World Transfer Pricing 2014 is a comprehensive guide to the world’s […]
DLA Piper has served as sole international counsel on the $1.1bn (£667m) offering by Power Grid Corporation of India, the largest power transmission company in India. The deal was led by Citibank, UBS, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra and SBI Capital as underwriters and global co-ordinators for the offering. The offering was a combination of a government […]
DLA Piper has been recognised as one of the best law firms for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), appearing on its ‘Best Places to Work 2014’ list for the fifth consecutive year. Earlier this year, DLA Piper received a perfect score on HRC’s corporate equality index, which […]
Audrey Williams, partner at Eversheds, has commented following news that the number of whistleblowing tip-offs in the UK has risen. Allegations of wrongdoing have been the subject of much publicity this year. According to Williams, an explanation for this increase in reporting may be that whistleblowing is more prominent in the media than ever. She said: ‘The […]
Liz Fitzsimons, data protection expert at Eversheds, has commented on news that the BBC faced a cyber attack on Christmas Day. She said: ‘The cyber attack on the BBC on Christmas Day confirms the relentless threat to our online resources and economy and how criminals will try to exploit any perceived weakness or distraction to their […]
In March 2013, the UK government announced an amnesty for UK taxpayers, giving them an opportunity to check that their affairs are up to date and, if appropriate, make a disclosure of any potential unpaid tax liabilities to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The amnesty runs until 30 September 2016. Jersey and Guernsey are […]
The latest crop of LLP accounts show drops in profitability and increases in bank borrowings for many of the UK 200 firms. Net debt at Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) grew from £14.78m to £34.59m, its LLP accounts have revealed, an increase of 134 per cent. The increase in net debt was largely the result of […]
By Niels Mulder and Anne Voerman Right holders are faced with an ever-increasing battle against fake goods. The European Union Anti-Piracy Regulation offers an effective first-line defence against fake goods. In 2012, EU customs detained 40 million fake goods worth approximately €1bn (£830m). As of 1 January 2014, the new Anti-Piracy Regulation (608/2013) applies, repealing […]
Conyers Dill & Pearman has acted for the sponsors on a cash transaction involving the purchase of BMC Software by a private investor group led by Bain Capital and Golden Gate Capital together with GIC Special Investments, Insight Venture Partners and Elliott Management. Sameer Tegally and Ashvan Luckraz of Conyers’ Mauritius office advised on the […]
First we heard that Hogan Lovells’ Berlin office had left for MoFo. Then we heard that the team left after a falling-out with HL management when a partner had criticised a firm client. No wonder MoFo Germany is now celebrating winning a major mandate for Axel Springer. MoFo’s Germany hires win first M&A instruction Revealed: […]
By Jaime Jones The European Commission has announced — Regulation 1336/2013 — that it will be changing the advertising thresholds under the public procurement rules with effect from 1 January 2014. The new thresholds will apply, for the next two years, to the public sector procurement rules, the utilities procurement rules and the defence procurement rules. If you are a public sector […]