Recent Transactions

Advised Validus Holdings, Ltd., a leading Bermuda-based provider of reinsurance, insurance, and insurance linked securities management, on its acquisition of Western World Insurance Group, Inc., a specialty US commercial insurer

Advised MGM Resorts International on the formation of a joint venture hotel management company with the Hakkasan Group called MGM Hakkasan Hospitality that will design, develop and manage luxury non-gaming hotels worldwide

Advised ARTnews, the world's oldest and most widely circulated art magazine, on its sale to Skate Capital Corp., a private art and media industry investment vehicle

Advised the Independent Committee of the Board of Directors of ING US, Inc. in connection with ING U.S., Inc’s repurchase of 7.2mm shares (aggregate repurchase of $250mm) from ING Groep N.V.

Advised the Independent Committee of the Board of Essar Energy plc in connection with possible offers from Essar Global Fund Limited, its 78% shareholder, for the remaining shares it does not already own and $550mm convertible bonds issued by Essar Energy plc

Advised Catalyst Investment Managers on the sale of its portfolio company Global Television, Australia’s largest provider of outsourced broadcasting and video production services, to NEP Inc., a leading provider of total broadcast solutions in the US, UK and Brazil. NEP is majority-owned by private funds managed by Crestview Partners

Advised AT&T Inc. on the sale of its wireline operations in the State of Connecticut to Frontier Communications

Advised Crosstex Energy, Inc. & Crosstex Energy, L.P., a leading US based midstream company, on the creation of a new midstream energy partnership with Devon Energy Corporation, a top-five US independent exploration & production company

Advised the limited partners of Resolution Life L.P. in the proposed acquisition by its subsidiary, Resolution Life Holdings, Inc., of Lincoln Benefit Life for $600mm

Advised Mi9, a joint venture between Microsoft and Nine Entertainment Co, and one of Australia’s leading digital media companies, on the sale of its 30% holding in iSelect, a leading Australian online-driven comparison service, as part of the Initial Public Offering of iSelect

Advised Fifth Street Finance Corp., a specialty finance company with approximately $2 billion of assets under management, on the acquisition of Healthcare Finance Group, LLC, a specialty lender providing asset-based lending and term loan products to the healthcare industry

Advised the Special Transaction Committee of the Board of Morgans Hotel Group on the transfer of its ownership interests in Delano South Beach and The Light Group to The Yucaipa Companies in exchange for the cancellation of certain securities held by Yucaipa (debt, preferred stock and warrants) together with a $100 million rights offering backstopped by Yucaipa