The Legal 500

Hengeler Mueller has advised the Monier Group, the world's leading provider of building material for pitched roofs and chimney with 11,000 employees, on its financial restructuring.

Bedell Cristin London acted as Jersey legal advisers to Max Property Group Plc in connection with the admission of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Max Property to AIM and the Daily Official List of the CISX. Bedell Channel Islands Limited acted as listing sponsor in connection with the CISX listing.

Bedell Trust has been short-listed in the forthcoming Society of Trust Estate Practitioners (STEP) Awards 2009 for "Independent Trust Team of the Year", one of three trust companies nominated for this prestigious award.

Molitor Fisch & Associés continues its practice under a new brand name : MOLITOR.

Hengeler Mueller advised the Neumayer Tekfor Group, a global supplier to the automotive industry with more than 3,000 employees worldwide, on its financial restructuring.

The Munich-based Brau Holding International, a joint venture between the Bavarian family business group Schörghuber (50.1%) and the Dutch brewery Heineken (49.9%), has sold its 45% stake in the Saarland-based Karlsberg Brewery to the Karlsberg Holding belonging to the Weber family.

PRAGUE (30 June 2009) – The Arbitration court in Prague has decided in favour of company Agrofert Holding (“Agrofert”) in its claim against Polish company Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen (“PKN Orlen”). The Polish company has to pay, on the basis of decision of the arbiters, a contractual penalty which exceeds EUR 77.2 million (over 2 billion CZK) with accessories.

On June 25, 2009, UBS AG (SIX: UBSN) announced that it is offering 293,258,050 newly issued shares from authorized capital to a small number of institutional investors at a price of CHF 13.00 per share. After deducting cast associated with the placement, the amount of new equity capital expected to be raised is approximately CHF 3.8 billion.

Denton Wilde Sapte continues to act as legal advisor for MENA Infrastructure Fund, picking up an instruction to advise on its second investment, in which it has taken 32.8% of the shareholding in Oman's United Power Company SAOG (UPC).

Carey Olsen is strengthening its corporate, finance and fiduciary teams in Jersey by admitting three partners to these key practice areas.

Penningtons Solicitors LLP's professional regulation group is celebrating two key appointments with the news that it has been successful in tenders to advise both the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and The Farriers Registration Council.

Penningtons Solicitors LLP has advised international tour operator Australian Pacific Touring (UK) Limited on its purchase of a majority share in GW Travel Limited, the market-leader in long-distance luxury rail tours. GW Travel's flagship holidays are trips on the world-famous Trans-Siberian Express.

Catherine McCann, a trainee solicitor at Penningtons Solicitors LLP's City office, has been invited to contribute to a new guide published by the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry to help young people consider the many types of jobs available in the capital.

London/Chicago/Sao Paolo, 26 June 2009 - Baker & McKenzie has advised Fiberweb plc on its proposed joint venture with Petropar S.A. The 50/50 joint venture, which will be named FitesaFiberweb, is intended to create the second largest producer of spunbond and non woven fabrics in North and South America. Completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of both Fiberweb and Petropar shareholders.

HERMANN Rechtsanwälte Wirtschaftsprüfer Steuerberater and the Munich-based team at Grub Brugger join forces: Joint establishment of a unit specialising in transaction and financing consultancy

At the Asian Counsel's "Top Deals of Year 2008 in Asia" Awards & picks up an "Islamic Groundbreaker 2008" Award from the Islamic Finance Asia.

Senior Executive and Environmentalist who has claimed he was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against because of his ‘philosophical belief about climate change and the environment’ will defend a Tribunal decision that his views are protected by the UK’s anti-discrimination legislation.

Debbie Purdy’s case will be heard in the House of Lords on 2nd and 3rd June, in Committee Room 1.

Paul Doralt, Partner at DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS, was elected to the board of the International Bar Association's Global Tax Committee. He will serve as co-chairman for 2 years. The IBA has a membership of 30,000 individual lawyers and roughly 195 bar associations. It covers a wide range of practice areas, which are organised into various legal committees. Since 2007, Paul Doralt has acted as the IBA´s Austrian national reporter on tax issues.

Stefan Artner, partner and head of DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS' real estate desk, and his team advised Sparkassen Immobilien AG on acquiring two office buildings – the new OMV headquarters and the Marriott Hotel - in the Vienna development area "Viertel Zwei". Sparkassen Immobilien AG is Austria's longest-standing property investment company and has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1987.

19 June 2009 - International offshore law firm Harneys recently advised WestLB and Nedbank on a US$37.5 million loan to the Quadra Mining group in connection with the refinancing of the existing project finance facility for the Franke copper mining project in Chile.

London, 17 June 2009 – The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) has extended Baker & McKenzie's panel appointment, which was due to conclude at the end of June, by a further year. CHRE oversees the nine major healthcare regulators, including the General Medical Council,  and has a statutory power to refer decisions of the regulators' Fitness to Practise panels to Court. The Firm acts in both contentious and non-contentious work for the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals (operating as the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, CHRE).   

Disputes partner Tom Cassels said:  “We very much look forward to continuing our excellent relationship with CHRE.”

Hammarskiöld & Co represents GM Europe AG in relation to the ongoing sale of SAAB Automobile AB with a team headed by Peder Hammarskiöld, Senior Partner. Other members of the team from the firm include Carl-Johan Deuschl, Partner, Erik Fahlgren, Senior Associate, Peder Grandinson, Senior Associate and Christina Blomkvist, Associate.

G&D conducted the legal due diligence in connection with Corem Property Group AB’s (publ) new issue of shares and change of stock list from NGM to NASDAQ OMX Stockholm

Gernandt & Danielsson advises Erik Penser Bankaktiebolag in connection with the listing of AllTele Allmänna Svenska Telefonaktiebolaget (publ) at NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. AllTele's shares are currently traded on First North.

Melbourne, 18 June 2009 – Baker & McKenzie has advised the Australian-listed oil exploration and development company 3D Oil Limited [ASX: TDO] on its successful defence of the attempted takeover bid by Drillsearch Energy Limited. The bid closed on 8 June 2009 without Drillsearch obtaining its minimum acceptance condition of 50%.

Sydney,18 June 2009 – Maria O'Brien, Partner in Baker & McKenzie's Insolvency & Restructuring Practice in Sydney, was announced the winner of the International Women's inolvency & Restructuring Confederation ("IWIRC") NSW inaugural Award for Outstanding female in the Insolvency and/or Restructuring Industry at the IWIRC event held last night.

HeidelbergCement AG has agreed on the refinancing of its existing bank liabilities in a total amount of € 8.7 billion with an international syndicate comprising more than 50 banks.

Setterwalls has recruited attorney Magnus Eriksson, from SAS, to the aviation group. Setterwalls has of lately experienced an increasing demand of aviation assignments. These assignments are predominantly comprised of leasing agreements and purchase and loan agreements pertaining to the client’s fleets. Setterwalls’ aviation group represents aviation companies as well as banks and owners/renters with Swedish and international backgrounds.

We have recently successfully acted for Tiffany and Company, the US-based international retailer of jewellery and luxury goods, to protect its investment in intellectual property. With a history of more than 170 years the “Tiffany” name has developed into one of the world’s leading and most recognised brands, protected worldwide in numerous countries and under international conventions. Working with partner Janet L. Hoffman of Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. (New York City), the leading US intellectual property firm, we took action to prevent misuse of the company’s name in Cyprus.

Schibsted Sverige AB, a wholly owned subsidiary of Schibsted ASA, acquires 41 procent of the shares in Aftonbladet?s parent company Aftonbladet Hierta AB from Landsorganisationen LO. After the acquisition Schibsted Sverige will hold 91 per cent of the shares and votes and LO will own 9 per cent.

23 April 2009 Chambers Europe ranks D&I as a leading firm in Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Dispute Resolution, Competition/European Law, Real Estate, Employment and TMT and ranks every third D&I lawyer as leading in their field.

Albar & Partner announced the launch of the firm’s website with effect 1 May 2009.  Accessible world-wide at the website address of www.albar.com.my  , Managing Partner Syed Zaid Albar said, “In today's fast paced world of ever changing technology, the development of this website is intended to enhance communication and make known to the world the various legal  services that our law  firm has to offer. It is hoped that users will find our website informative and inter-active, and will enjoy browsing through our website.”

28-30th of April the delegation of International Law Firm INTEGRITES visited the global event EUROPEAN SEAFOOD EXPOSITION took place in Brussels, Belgium.

An investment funds specialist at offshore law firm Mourant du Feu & Jeune has been named amongst the best 25 legal experts in the world in her field.

The international business journal ACQ has ranked corporate transaction advisors globally. The ranking primarily covers law firms, banks and audit firms.

The journal, Legala Affärer has carried out its annual survey amongst associates at the larger law firms. For the fourth consecutive year, Delphi finds itself in the number one spot.

Anna Ulfsdotter Forssell, partner and head of Delphi's public procurement group, has been ranked as one of the world's top ten lawyers by Who's Who Legal Public Procurement 2009. Anna Ulfsdotter Forssell is the only Swedish lawyer on the prestigious list of the world's most highly respected individuals within the field of public procurement.

Christoph Neeracher, partner at Bär & Karrer, is chairing the third seminar on Mergers & Acquisitions for practitioners which will be held on 22-23 September 2009 in Lucerne under the patronage of the University of St. Gallen. The seminar will focus on legal, tax and financial matters regarding distressed mergers & acquisitions. The seminar is primarily aimed at CEOs, CFOs and COOs as well as in-house legal advisers, auditors, lawyers and other persons regularly engaged in M&A-transactions.

Hedman Partnes Attorneys-at-law has expanded its operations in Russia by opening a western law firm in Ekaterinburg. Situated in the Sverdlovsk Region, Ekaterinburg is the third most important business centre in Russia.

From the 1st of July 2009, Mr PHOTOS TSANGARIDES, Mr COSTANTINOS TSANGARIDES, Mr GIORGOS LANDAS, Mr KLEANTHIS KARAMANIDES, Ms CHRISTIANA PERIKLEOUS and Mr ERAKLIS AGATHOKLEOUS will become PARTNERS in PHC TSANGARIDES LLC.

70 Year 5/6 students from around the island attended a creative writing course held at various primary schools recently as part of the Extended Curriculum Programme organised by Education, Sport and Culture and supported by Ogier Jersey.

Ogier has earned another endorsement for its funds expertise following the announcement by ACQ Finance Magazine of their Global Award winners for 2009. This time, the firm picked up the title of “Overall Private Funds Law Firm of the Year”.

Ogier has been named “Best Offshore Law Firm, 2009” at the HFM Week Service Provider Awards held in London.

Ogier, one of the leading providers of offshore legal and fiduciary services, has appointed Marcus Hawgood as Head of Treasury Services, focusing on enhancing the management of client cash assets. Marcus joins Ogier from Computer Patent Annuities where he was Group Treasurer.

Andreas Zahradnik, private equity expert and partner at DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS, advised Invest Equity on the sale Chemson Polymer Additive AG. Chemson is an internationally leading manufacturers of polymer additives with a global turnover amounting to nearly EUR 300 million.

Martin Brodey and Andreas Zahradnik, partners at DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS, have advised the Swiss Valartis Group on the acquisition of Anglo Irish Bank's Austrian private banking subsidiary, Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) AG. The acquisition was completed on December 19, 2008, after the Swiss Federal Banking Commission gave their approval. The Austrian Financial Market Authority also did not object to this transaction. The Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) AG will be renamed Valartis Bank (Austria) AG and its asset management subsidiary Valartis Asset Management (Austria) Kapitalanlagesellschaft mbH. Both parties have agreed not to discuss details of the purchase price.

DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS is delighted to announce that it has been named 'Austrian Law Firm of the Year' by International Financial Law Review (IFLR). The firm received this prestigious award at the IFLR Europe Awards in London on March 18, 2009.

Associate University Professor Alexander Schopper has been appointed Of Counsel at DORDA BRUGGER JORDIS, a leading business law firm in Austria. Since May 2009, he strengthens the firm's corporate finance and restructuring team headed by Andreas Zahradnik.

Bedell Cristin advise on Max Property Group Plc Listing