Deals – 20 November 2008

Gilbert + Tobin has advised Westpac Banking Corp on its A$47 billion merger with St George Bank, completing the largest corporate merger in Australia’s history. The firm was the sole legal advisor to Westpac on the merger. M&A partners Gary Lawler and John Williamson-Noble and competition partners Gina Cass-Gottlieb and Luke Woodward led the team advising on all legal aspects of the merger.

Kim & Chang represented Japanese sporting goods company Snow Peak Inc in its acquisition of C&C Korea. Partner Yong-Kap Kim led this transaction, which was structured as a purchase of assets and assumption of liabilities.

Khaitan & Co has advised NTT DOCOMO as Indian legal counsel in their investment of US$2.7 billion into Tata Teleservices, India. Partner Upendra Joshi led the team advising the company.

KhattarWong has acted for King’s Safetywear Ltd in a voluntary cash offer by Safe Step Group Ltd. The value of the transaction, assuming full acceptance of the offer, will be approximately S$103 million. Partner Yang Eu Jin led the team advising the company on this transaction.

Minter Ellison acted as Australian counsel to Suntory Ltd in its successful competitive bid for the international business of Frucor Beverages Group Ltd (NZ). The vendor was Groupe Danone SA, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Danone Asia Pte Ltd. Key partners involved in the transaction included Russell Miller (competition and regulatory, Canberra), James Philips (M&A, Sydney), Costas Condoleon (M&A, Sydney) and Paul Schoff (competition and regulatory, Sydney).

Orrick has advised Korea Development Bank (KDB) and BNP Paribas on a $150 million financing deal. The transaction represented the first offshore financing project for KDB. The team was led by Tokyo global finance partner Eugene Chang, and included London global finance partner Alex Janes.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker has successfully defended Korean pharmaceutical company Dong-A Pharmaceutical Co Ltd in an international arbitration brought by a US biotech venture. The claim sought damages in excess of $100 million. Washington DC partner Scott Flicker led team, which also included partners George Graff, Hamilton Loeb, Daniel Kim and Jong Han Kim.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker has advised Enric Energy Equipment Holdings Ltd on the expansion of its transportation, storage and equipment business through acquisitions in China and Europe, totalling US$1.1 billion. The team was led by partners Raymond Li and Phoebus Chu.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP represented advertising agency mcgarrybowen in its acquisition by Dentsu Holdings USA Inc. The team included corporate partners Steven Williams and Toby Myerson, and tax partner Jeffrey Samuels.

Skadden represented Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in its business alliance with the Bank of East Asia, the largest independent local bank and the third largest bank in Hong Kong. The team was led by partners Mitsuhiro Kamiya in Tokyo, Nicholas Norris in Hong Kong, and William J Sweet in Washington DC.

Skadden has represented NTT DOCOMO as international counsel in its $2.7 billion strategic investment in Tata Teleservices Ltd, representing a 26 percent stake in the private Indian telecommunications company. Under the terms of the deal, DOCOMO acquired 20 percent of the telecommunications business unit of Tata Group through a subscription of newly issued shares and purchased another 6 percent from existing shareholders. Partners Nobuhisa Ishizuka (Tokyo) Ken King (Palo Alto) Warren Lavey (Chicago) Dana Freyer and Karyl Nairn (London) were active in the transaction.

Stephenson Harwood has advised ING Bank NV on the financing of the Hua San, the world’s first very large crude carrier built to Common Structural Rules. The vessel is the largest by weight ever to be built in China. Martin Green, partner in the firm’s Singapore office, led the transaction.

Yulchon advised the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) in the financing for the construction of 7 container vessels to be delivered and bareboat chartered to CMA GSM involving transactions through French Tax lease structure. KEXIM played a major role as an export credit provider for approximately 30 percent of the total financing through KEXIM Bank (UK) Ltd.