Ukraine AcquisitionDavenport Lyons (London) is coordinating an acquisition of a large commercial property portfolio in Kiev, Ukraine owned by Dutch company with four other Globalaw members. Van Mens & Wisselink (Amsterdam) is advising on the Dutch legal issues and due diligence and Magister & Partners (Kiev) is advising on the Ukranian legal issues. Funding is by Marfin Bank for whom Vgenopoulos & Partners (Athens) is acting. And Pelaghias, Christodoulou, Vrachas & Co. (Cyprus) also assisting with the transaction.

Copenhagen DevelopmentIn the build-out of over 128,000 square meters of residential and commercial space in Copenhagen, Denmark, Davenport Lyons (London) is representing the property owner and Mazanti-Andersen Korso Jensen & Partners (Copenhagen) is representing the joint venturer Dutch property company.


MEDIATION IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINAClient of Texas member firm Jackson Walker, a Hicks-Muse affiliate and Muzak's largest competitor, is adverse to five Latin Music labels in a high-stakes licensing issue. The mediation will take place in Buenos Aires with the help of Globalaw's Argentina member firm.

ACQUISITION BY FRENCH COMPANYTexas member firm Jackson Walker closed the acquisition by a French company of the Netherlands subsidiary of a U.S. company listed on the NASDAQ Global Market. The acquisition was structured as a stock purchase, and the final purchase price was in the range of US$15-20 million. This is the second time Jackson Walker has represented the French company (who was referred by Thierry d'Ornano of French member firm CMC Avocats) in connection with an acquisition, the first time being in connection with the purchase of a Utah corporation.  Jackson Walker quarterbacked the transaction and engaged Ayolt Zoer and his colleagues at Van Mens & Wisselink to act as local counsel on Dutch legal matters.

Fundraising in another jurisdictionWhen a client of Ballard Spahr (Philadelphia) wanted to raise finance in England for an investment, it sent the fund raising document it had produced to Davenport Lyons and its corporate department “topped and tailed it” so that it would comply with local legislation and provided advice as to how such activities could be conducted in England.

Tender for regional legal representation
A client of Henry Davis York (Sydney), a global leader in the provision of information technology, research and advisory services, requested a tender for legal representation throughout the Asia Pacific  region and Japan. The Globalaw firms in Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand all contributed to the development of the tender with particulars of their resources, expertise and pricing.

Cross-border business developmentWhen a client of Henry Davis York (Sydney) needed to establish a presence in the United States for the purpose of forming a consortium to bid for the right to become the Independent System Operator for the United States south east regional electricity organisation, Ballard Spahr (Philadelphia) was found to have had extensive experience in the design of electricity markets and was familiar with the regulators, the utilities and the consultants, as well as being in a position to advise on incorporation, taxation and joint venture contracting. This assistance proved invaluable to the client in putting together its consortium and bid proposal.


Breach of Contract and Fraud in JapanAfter a ten week jury trial, United States District Judge Edward C. Prado of the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, on February 9, 1998, entered a take nothing judgment in a case filed by San Antonio based Kaepa, Inc. against Tokyo based Achilles Corporation, a Japanese corporation which is a leading manufacturer and distributor of shows in Japan, and a maker of many industrial products. Achilles was represented by Jackson Walker at the request of our Japanese Globalaw member.

Mexican Labour Judgement Overturned
A client of Texas member firm Jackson Walker has operations in Mexico. Weekly payroll to Mexico on Friday is seized to satisfy a Mexican labour judgment of which the U.S. client was unaware. Jackson Walker contacts the Mexican Globalaw member for assistance. They are able to make alternative arrangements for payroll in Mexico within 24 hours, return the seized funds and reverse the judgment.


Assistance Attaining a Visa When a U.S. employee of Jackson Walker's client is wounded in Bosnia and transferred to a United States air force base in Germany the Globalaw German member firm is immediately contacted for assistance.

Corporate Restructuring A global manufacturer and distributor of computer products based in Taiwan relies regularly on Globalaw's Taiwan member, Shay & Partners, for legal assistance.  When the company decided to dissolve one of its European affiliates and form a new company in Germany, it needed legal assistance in Europe.  Shay & Partners referred the company to Globalaw's Netherlands member, the law firm of Van Mens en Wisselink, which is handling the dissolution, and Globalaw's German member, Jacobson & Confurius, which is handling the incorporation.

International DiscoveryA client of Texas member Jackson Walker was engaged in litigation in the US, and needed to obtain documents and other information held by two Taiwan companies. Jackson Walker turned to Taiwan member Shay & Partners to assist in obtaining discovery against the Taiwan companies by way of letters rogatory issued by the US court requesting international judicial assistance.  With Shay & Partners' help, the letters rogatory were prepared and transmitted through the proper diplomatic channels to the Taiwan district courts with jurisdiction over the target companies.