Mergers and acquisitions

“Feedback gives Norton Rose a solid rating for dealing with matters at the high end of the market.”
Chambers UK, Corporate/M&A: High-end Capability, 2012

We provide the world’s largest corporations and financial institutions with a global M&A service based on our market and industry knowledge throughout our key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and pharmaceuticals and life sciences.

Our global team of specialist M&A lawyers provides integrated advice on all forms of domestic and cross-border transactions, working on deals throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Central Asia.

We deliver:

• High-quality, strategic transactional work for corporates of all sizes
• Expertise in both public and private M&A
• An international network of corporate finance specialists
• Experience in complex structuring, restructuring and disposals
• Wide-ranging sector knowledge reinforced by comprehensive market experience
• Support with employment law and conflict of interest issues
• Strong merger control teams across the world
• Tax advice and innovations

What sets us apart?

• We can do joint ventures anywhere in the world and in any sector: China, India, Brazil or Russia; a mining JV or a financial services JV or an energy JV
• We have international expertise in leveraged finance, including leverage buy-outs, public takeovers and cross-border financings as well as a full understanding of regulatory regimes and particular stock market requirements. This type of experience allows us to provide streamlined advice in connection with any fundraising associated with a global acquisition or disposal
• We are experienced in analysing merger control rules around the world and in obtaining merger control clearances for clients in jurisdictions throughout our network
• We are expert in litigation and international arbitration, from emergency injunctions to complex commercial disputes. We also provide dispute avoidance, risk management and contractual advice

Our areas of work include:

• acquisition financing
• demergers and reorganisations
• joint ventures
• litigation
• merger control
• public and private M&A

Our recent work:

• Advising Delta Air Lines Inc. in relation to the proposed US$360 million acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic from Singapore Airlines. The transaction also involves a proposed transatlantic joint venture agreement between Delta and Virgin Atlantic and a revised brand licence with the Virgin Group
• Advising BP Plc on the sale of its LPG bottle and tank filling businesses in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, South Africa, Poland, China, Turkey and Austria and its non-refinery integrated wholesale business. The sale involves all of BP's remaining LPG bottle and tank filling operations. BP is the last of the oil supermajors to dispose of its LPG bottling operations, Shell having disposed of its remaining operations in 2011
• Advising Barclays on the combination of the majority of its African operations with Absa Group. The proposed transaction will be effected by way of an acquisition by Absa Group of Barclays Africa Limited for a consideration of 129,540,636 Absa Group shares, representing a value of ZAR18.3 billion (approximately GBP1.3 billion). As a result of the transaction, Barclays’ stake in Absa Group will increase from 55.5 per cent to 62.3 per cent
• Advising Müller Dairy UK Limited on its £279.5 million public takeover for London Stock Exchange listed Robert Wiseman Dairies PLC
• Advising Royal Bank of Canada and its global wealth division RBC Wealth Management, on the acquisition of the Latin American, Caribbean and African private banking business of Coutts, the wealth division of Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Advising Symphony Technology Group on its public takeover bid for LSE listed Kewill, the trade and logistics software provider, being a high profile, competitive bid involving other private equity bidders