August 4, 2010
Willkie Obtains European Commission Approval for Teva’s $5 Billion Acquisition of Ratiopharm
Teva’s acquisition of Germany’s second largest generics producer expected to close in the near future.
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July 22, 2010
Willkie Assists France Télévisions in Obtaining European Commission Approval for New Long-Term Financing Plan
EC upholds law that created financing plan to help France Télévisions cover public service costs, taking into consideration the progressive removal of advertising.
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July 21, 2010
Willkie Advises French Soccer Football League in Orange Football Broadcasting Appeal
France’s Supreme Court holds French broadcaster’s strategy for distributing exclusive content did not amount to unfair competition in violation of consumer legislation.
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July 20, 2010
Willkie Advises Schneider Electric on Refinancing of Bonds
Global energy management company Schneider Electric launches two bond issues with respect to its Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) program for a total amount of €800 million.
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July 5, 2010
Paris Office Advises Latécoère in Financial Restructuring
French aircraft company Groupe Latécoère obtains approval for financial restructuring and conciliation principle guaranteed by the Toulouse commercial court.
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July 5, 2010
General Court of the European Union Rules for Willkie Client France Télévisions in Subsidy Case
French court dismisses challenge brought by three privately owned French broadcasters with respect to European Commission’s authorization of €150 million subsidy to France Télévisions.
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June 21, 2010
Paris Office Obtains Victory for Amaury Group in Competition Action
The Paris Court of Appeal quashes the French Antitrust Authority’s authorization to inspect Amaury Group’s premises.
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June 10, 2010
Paris Office Advises Montefiore Investment in Acquisition of a 40 Percent Stake in SOFIBO
Acquisition is being made through Montefiore Investment managed funds.
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June 10, 2010
Firm Advises PAI on Acquisition of Pathology Labs Business
PAI partners agrees to acquire a majority interest in French clinical pathology business Cerba European Lab (CEL) from IK Investment Partners.
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June 4, 2010
Firm Advises BeCapital in its Acquisition of Goëmar
BeCapital Private Equity SCA SICAR, a Luxembourg-based regulated vehicle dedicated to investments in cleantech companies, completes first investment in France.
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May 21, 2010
Paris Office Advises Essilor in €1.4 Billion Tender Offer of Honeywell
Firm assists Essilor as main shareholder of Sperian Protection on the €1.4 billion tender offer of Honeywell.
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May 17, 2010
Firm Advises Toreador on Shale Oil Partnership with Hess
Firm advises Toreador on agreement with Hess Oil France SAS on matters including the co-holding of the different exploration permits held by Toreador in the Paris basin and the investment by Hess of up to $120 million in a work program.
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May 6, 2010
Willkie Advises Vilmorin in Strategic Alliance with Arcadia Biosciences
Vilmorin & Cie, a subsidiary of Limagrain, forms a strategic alliance with Arcadia Biosciences, an agricultural technology company based in Davis, California.
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May 5, 2010
Willkie Advises Houlihan Lokey in Technicolor’s Financial Debt Restructuring
Technicolor’s debt restructuring will consist of a rights issue for a total of €348 million, an issuance of €640 million of bonds redeemable in shares and €300 million of Disposal Proceed Notes bonds.
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May 3, 2010
Project Finance/Development Group Joins Willkie’s Paris Office
Thierry Laloum, Amir Jahanguiri and Vincent Brenot have joined the firm, effective May 1, 2010.
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April 26, 2010
Paris Office Advises on TOTAL S.A.’s Tender Offer for Elf Aquitaine Shares
Multinational energy company Total S.A. announces tender offer followed by a "squeeze out" to buy the remaining shares of Elf Aquitaine.
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March 18, 2010
Willkie Advises on Teva Pharmaceutical’s $5 Billion Acquisition of Ratiopharm
Willkie is serving as lead antitrust and competition counsel to Teva on the transaction.
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March 17, 2010
Magazine des Affaires Ranks Paris Office Number One for Restructuring
Paris restructuring group honored for advising on nine major matters with a combined value of almost €4.7 billion.
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March 2, 2010
Paris Office Advises Limagrain in Strategic Alliance with Fonds Stratégique d’Investissement
Alliance will result in the FSI investing €150 million in Groupe Limagrain Holding (GLH).
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Februar 18, 2010
Firm Advises Toreador Resources Corporation on Share Offering and Issuance of Convertible Bonds
Toreador Resources Corporation, an independent energy company, completes $27.2 million public offering of common stock and $31.6 million private issuance of aggregate principal amount of new convertible senior notes.
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January 14, 2010
Firm Advises Oaktree Capital Management in Financial Restructuring of the SGD Group
A unanimous agreement has been reached with all the stakeholders to strengthen the financial structure of SGD and massively decrease its debt.
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November 11, 2009
Firm Assists AXA in Acquisition of German Shopping Network HSE 24
AXA Private Equity acquires HSE 24, Germany's first shopping broadcaster, which is part of insolvent Arcandor AG.
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November 3, 2009
Paris Office Assists Sanofi-Aventis in Acquisition of Oenobiol
Sanofi-aventis agrees to acquire Laboratoire Oenobiol, the leading French manufacturer of nutritional, health and beauty supplements.
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October 19, 2009
Firm Represents Collective of Tranche C Lenders in $3.25 Billion Credit Bid For, And Restructuring of, Delphi Corporation
Delphi Holdings LLP completes acquisition of substantially all of Delphi Corporation’s global core businesses as part of the consummation of the Delphi Corporation Modified Plan of Reorganization.
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October 6, 2009
Paris Office Represents Sanofi-Aventis in €370 Million Acquisition of Fovea Pharmaceuticals
Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, agrees to acquire Fovea Pharmaceuticals, a privately held French research and development biopharmaceutical company.
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July 13, 2009
Paris Office Obtains Victory for Founding Family of Leading French Chain Retail Stores
The unprecedented award against Casino, the giant French retailer, enforces the Baud Family’s right to sell its €500 million minority stake in Franprix and Leader Price retail chains.
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May 19, 2009
Paris Office Obtains Victory for French Football League and ANLSP in “Tied Sales Case”
Willkie clients support France Télécom in sports broadcasting rights case.
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April 21, 2009
Firm Represents Stiefel Laboratories in $3.6 Billion Acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline
London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc agrees to acquire Willkie client Stiefel Laboratories Inc., the world's largest independent dermatology company.
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April 4, 2009
Frankfurt and Paris Offices Assist E.N.O. Energy in Wind Farm Portfolio Transactions
e.n.o. energy sells a portfolio of six wind farms to Dutch investor DIF Renewable Energies, and acquires a portfolio of 17 wind farms in development from French wind park developer Energie Eolienne France.
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January 23, 2009
Paris Office Assists Schneider Electric in €750 Million Debt Offering
Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, completes €750 million bond issue with fixed coupon maturing in July 2013.
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December 23, 2008
Firm Assists Teva in $8.9 Billion Acquisition of Barr Pharmaceuticals
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. completes its $8.9 billion acquisition of Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., creating a combined company with a significant presence in over 60 countries.
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November 13, 2008
Maurice Lantourne Joins Paris Office
The firm enhances bankruptcy and litigation practices in Paris by welcoming leading French specialist, Maurice Lantourne and his team.
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November 11, 2008
Paris Office Advises CGGVeritas on Exchange Tender Offer For Wavefield Inseis
CGGVeritas, a leading international pure-play geophysical company, announces it has launched an exchange tender offer for Norwegian pure-play seismic company Wavefield Inseis, valued at approximately $310 million.
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October 14, 2008
Firm Advises Gemalto on Cash Bid for Wavecom
The firm is advising digital security leader Gemalto in its recent unsolicited public tender offer in cash for Wavecom, a leading provider of wireless machine to machine (M2M) technology.
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June 19, 2008
Firm Advises Rockefeller Financial Services in Investment from Societe General
Societe Generale SA, France's second largest bank by market value, purchases a 37 percent stake in Willkie client Rockefeller Financial Services Inc.
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May 29, 2008
Paris Office Represents Pardus in Successful Negotiations for Atos Origin Board Seats
Willkie client Pardus Capital Management, together with Centaurus Capital, successfully negotiate their slate of candidates for the Supervisory Board of Atos Origin, the French international information technology services company.
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May 11, 2008
Frankfurt and Paris Offices Advise 3i on Acquisition of DruckChemie
Willkie client 3i and funds managed by 3i sign €133 million agreement to back the buyout of DruckChemie, a specialty service provider to the printing industry, from SG Capital Europe and Quartus.
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April 22, 2008
Paris Office Assists Wendel in Negotiations for €1 billion Sale of France’s Second Largest Publisher
Wendel announces exclusive negotiations to sell Editis to Spain’s Grupo Planeta.
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April 3, 2008
Paris Office Advises Investor Consortium in €550 million Buyout of Kesa Unit
Kesa Electricals Plc. completes sale of its French furniture and electricals business BUT to Decomeubles Partners SAS, a company backed by a consortium represented by Willkie’s Paris office.
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January 1, 2008
Willkie Announces New Partners
The firm elects seven attorneys to the partnership.
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November 20, 2007
Willkie Represents Pharmion in $2.9 Billion Sale to Celgene
Willkie client Pharmion Corp., a leading manufacturer of blood cancer treatments, agrees to be sold to biotechnology company Celgene Corp. for $2.9 billion in cash and stock.
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October 9, 2007
Paris Office Advises Recordati in Acquisition of Orphan Europe
European pharmaceutical group Recordati agrees to €135 million acquisition of Orphan Europe, a pharmaceutical group specializing in treating rare diseases.
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August 10, 2007
Paris Office Assists PAI in $3.14 Billion Sale of Elis GIE
PAI partners agrees to sell textile rental and cleaning service company Elis GIE to French private equity firm Eurazeo SA.
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August 3, 2007
Paris Office Represents Founders of Sophis in Private Equity Investment by Advent International
Global private equity firm Advent International acquires a majority stake in Sophis, a leading provider of financial services software development for capital markets.
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July 25, 2007
Paris Office Advises Chemical Company Arkema on the Acquisition of Coatex
French chemical company Arkema agrees to acquire Coatex from the Omya Group of Switzerland.
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May 10, 2007
London, Paris and New York Offices Advise Converium in the Now Friendly Combination with SCOR
Converium Holding AG agrees to friendly combination with French reinsurer SCOR S.A. -- Valued at $2.8 billion.
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April 30, 2007
London, Paris and New York Offices Represent Converium in Defense of $2.5B Unsolicited Offer
Firm represents Converium Holding AG in connection with its defense of the $2.5 billion unsolicited offer by SCOR S.A.
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March 12, 2007
Paris Office Assists Schneider Electric in €1 Billion Share Capital Increase
Schneider Electric launches share capital increase with preferential subscription rights valued at approximately €1 billion.
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March 2, 2007
Paris and Frankfurt Offices Advise Sartorius AG on Acquisition of Stake in Stedim SA
German lab-equipment maker Sartorius AG announces agreement to purchase a controlling stake in French peer Stedim SA.
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February 1, 2007
Paris Office Assists Provimi and Provimlux in $752.2 Million Sale of Majority Stake
Provimi SA announces that its majority shareholder Provimlux Investments SA has entered into a sale purchase agreement with Nutrilux S.à.r.l. to sell its nearly 75% stake.
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December 7, 2006
Frankfurt and Paris Offices Advise PAI on $3.2 Billion Acquisition of Lafarge’s Roofing Division
PAI partners SAS agrees to acquire the roofing division of Lafarge SAS for $3.2 billion (€2.4 billion) in cash and liabilities assumed.
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November 20, 2006
European Antitrust Team Assists Gaz de France on Landmark $54 Billion Energy Merger
Gaz de France SA and Suez SA win European Union approval for $54 billion (€42.1 billion) merger, creating Europe's second-largest utility and maintaining national control of the French power market.
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April 14, 2006
Paris Office Advises on HBI’s €1.8 Billion Bid for Elior
Holding Bercy Investissement (HBI) launches €1.8 billion take-private bid of French catering company Elior.
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December 8, 2005
Paris Office Advises Axalto in $1.1 Billion Merger With Gemplus International
Axalto Holding NV and Gemplus International SA, the world's largest maker of smartcards, agree to merge in a €928 million ($1.1 billion) share swap.
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June 16, 2005
Paris Office Advises Maurel & Prom on $460M Acquisition
French independent oil company Maurel & Prom announces agreement to acquire the holding companies of the Colombian and Venezuelan oil and gas assets of London based private investment firm Knightsbridge Investments Ltd.
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January 11, 2005
Willkie Represents Bayer HealthCare in its $271.4 Million Buyback of Levitra Co-Promotion Rights
German pharmaceutical group Bayer HealthCare announces plans to purchase back the rights to market male impotence drug Levitra outside the U.S. from British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline PLC.
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January 1, 2005
Willkie Announces New Partners and Special Counsel
Firm congratulates new partners and special counsel in New York, Paris and Washington offices.
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December 3, 2004
Dominique Mondoloni Elected to Paris Bar Council
Paris partner Dominique Mondoloni elected to serve on the Paris Bar Council (Le Conseil de L’Ordre).
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November 10, 2004
Paris Office Advises French Toll-Roads Company in $3.7 Billion IPO
French government announces $3.7 billion-plus initial public offering of Willkie client Groupe SAPRR SA, a Paris-based toll-roads company.
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September 13, 2004
Willkie Featured in Chambers Guides to Leading Lawyers - 2004
Firm recognized for excellence in the 2004 editions of Chambers Global - The World’s Leading Lawyers and Chambers USA - America's Leading Lawyers for its work worldwide in Corporate/M&A; Private Equity (Buyouts & Venture Capital); Capital Markets; Competition/Antitrust; Communications; Real Estate; Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite (Regulatory); Insolvency/Corporate Recovery; Litigation (General Commercial); Tax; Environmental; and IT/IT Outsourcing.
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June 25, 2004
Daniel Hurstel Addresses Vienna Conference on Accession to European Markets
Paris partner Daniel Hurstel recently addressed an international conference in Vienna focusing on the legal, business and economic implications of the expanding European single market, which currently comprises nearly 500 million people in 25 member states.
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June 22, 2004
BioMérieux Launches IPO
French diagnostic group bioMérieux launched its initial public offering, which Willkie client Wendel Investment, the French private equity group, utilized to sell its 35 percent holding in the company.
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April 1, 2004
Firm Represents BNP Paribas SA in $334 Million Sale of Diana Ingrédients SA to London-based Electra Partners Europe Ltd.
Willkie client BNP Paribas SA, the euro zone's largest bank, announces the sale of food ingredients maker Diana Ingrédients SA to London-based Electra Partners Europe Ltd. for €270 million ($334 million).
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February 18, 2004
CVC Capital Partners to sell BSN Glasspack SA to Owens-Illinois Inc. for $1.49 billion
It has been widely reported that Willkie client London buyout house CVC Capital Partners is on the verge of a deal to sell BSN Glasspack SA, its French packaging company, to Owens-Illinois Inc. for €1.16 billion ($1.49 billion), including debt.
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February 2, 2004
Daniel Payan Included on "The Lawyer's" Hot 100
Mr. Payan named in annual profile of top European lawyers who are shaping the law and the profession in the year to come.
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January 28, 2004
Firm Represents PAI Partners in Negotiations to Acquire Controlling Stake in Vivarte SA for $1.55 Billion
Willkie client Paris-based buyout firm PAI Partners enters into final round of negotiations to acquire a controlling 68% stake in French retailer Vivarte SA.
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January 1, 2004
Willkie Announces New Partners and Counsel
Firm congratulates new partners and counsel.
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October 20, 2003
Firm Represents Transiciel SA in $230M Sale
Paris-based computer consultant Cap Gemini Ernst & Young announces its friendly €243 million ($239.9 million) all-stock offer to buy Willkie client Transiciel SA, Cap Gemini’s French IT rival.
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September 23, 2003
Firm Represents Clients in $1.3 Billion Sale of Materis
Willkie clients French building materials group Lafarge SA and private equity firms Advent International Corp., Carlyle Group and CVC Capital Partners agree to sell specialty materials unit Materis to Paris private equity firm LBO France for an enterprise value of €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion).
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September 2, 2003
Willkie Welcomes New Partners in Paris
Alexandra Bigot and Jean-Dominique Daudier de Cassini join the Business Reorganization and Restructuring Department in the firm’s Paris office.
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September 1, 2003
The Lawyer Profiles Willkie's European Expansion
The September 2003 edition of The Lawyer magazine features a special profile on the success of Willkie’s continuing European expansion.
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May 29, 2003
Firm Represents French Clothing Unit Mim in $49M Sale
British discount retailer New Look Group plc announces plans to buy out the minority shareholders of its French value clothing unit Mim for $49 million in cash.
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March 26, 2003
Willkie Partners Contribute to Proposals on Improving Corporate Governance in France
Willkie Chairman Jack H. Nusbaum and partner Serge Benchetrit contribute to a series of proposals recently published by France’s Institut Montaigne on improving corporate governance in France. Through think tanks, task forces and conferences, Institut Montaigne brings together business leaders and academics, among others, to discuss and develop lasting solutions to a wide array of problems and issues of the day.
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February 19, 2003
Laurent Faugérolas Authors Chapter in New Finance Book
Paris partner Laurent Faugérolas authored a chapter in a recently published finance book entitled Capital Markets and Company Law. Mr. Faugérolas’s chapter, “Impact of Take-overs and their Regulation on French Company Law and Practice” focuses on launching a tender offer and complying with company interest, and adapting the principle of company interest to comply with the specific features of stock market law.
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January 30, 2003
Daniel Hurstel Addresses French Parliament
Paris partner Daniel Hurstel addressed the Law Commission of the French Parliament on the growing need for French laws and regulations to evolve in accordance with the changing environment surrounding corporate governance.
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January 1, 2003
Firm Announces New Partners and Counsel
Former associates become partner and counsel.
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September 23, 2002
Daniel Hurstel Appointed to Working Group on European Prospectus and Disclosure Requirements
Paris partner Daniel Hurstel appointed to serve as a member of the Consultative Working Group charged with assisting the European “Expert Group” on the drafting of the European directive on Prospectus and Disclosure Requirements set up by the CESR (Committee of European Securities Regulators).
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July 8, 2002
Italenergia
The Italian press has widely reported that Electricite de France (Edf), the giant French state power utility represented by Willkie, has agreed on a reorganization plan for Italenergia, a large Italian energy provider.
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April 1, 2002
Laurent Faugérolas
Paris partner Laurent Faugérolas interviewed by the French publication Le journal des Finances for an article entitled “L’Europe doit faire cause commune en matière de législation boursière” (“Europe Must Make Common Cause with Respect to Stock Market Legislation”), which examines the urgent need for the standardization of European securities law.
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January 1, 2002
Firm Announces New Partners and Special Counsel
Firm announces new partners and counsel in New York, Washington and Paris.
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