Recent Transactions

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

Advised the Special Committee of the Conflicts Committee of the Board of Directors of Athene Holding Ltd. in connection with the purchase of non-cash investment assets of AP Alternative Assets L.P.

Advised The Hartford, a leading provider of insurance and wealth management services, on the divestiture of its Individual Life Insurance Business to Prudential Financial, Inc.

Advised Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading gaming operator in Nevada, the Midwest and South, on the acquisition of Peninsula Gaming, a casino operator of five properties in Kansas, Iowa and Louisiana

Advised Virgin Money, a financial services provider, on the acquisition of Northern Rock, a UK retail mortgage and savings bank, from UK Financial Investments Ltd, which manages the UK Government’s investments in financial institutions

Advised Minerva plc, a property investment and development company, on a recommended offer from a consortium consisting of AREA Property Partners and Delancey Real Estate Asset Management

Advised AXA Private Equity, a leading European diversified private equity firm, on its acquisition of a $1.7 billion portfolio of limited partnership interests in private equity buyout funds and a portfolio of direct stakes in companies from Citigroup

Advised Principal Financial Group, Inc., a leading asset accumulation, asset management and retirement services franchise in the United States and abroad on its acquisition of HSBC Afore, HSBC’s pension business in Mexico

Advised TD Advisors Limited, a major shareholder of Troika Dialog Group, Russia’s leading investment bank, on the sale of their stake as part of the acquisition of Troika Dialog Group by Sberbank, the largest commercial bank in Russia

Advised the Special Committee of Wesco Financial Corporation in connection with Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s proposal to acquire the remaining 19.9% of the shares of Wesco’s common stock that it does not presently own

Advised FirstRand Limited, one of the largest financial services groups in Africa, on the sale of its 45% stake in FirstRand STI Holdings Limited (OUTsurance), South Africa’s leading direct personal lines insurer, to RMB Holdings Limited

Advised Travelers, the largest listed property and casualty insurance company in the U.S., on the acquisition of a ~43% stake in J. Malucelli Participacao em Seguros E Resseguros, the leading surety insurance company in Brazil, through the issue of new common shares (with an option to increase to 49.9% within 18 months)