New York, NY-- Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, represented RBC in connection with a credit facility consisting of term loan and revolver commitments to Marine Acquisition Corp. (d/b/a SeaStar Solutions),  the leading global provider of OEM and aftermarket products and accessories for the recreational marine and related markets.

Corporate partner Michael Baker led the Paul Hastings team, which also included associates Seth Chandler, Mitchell Zuckerman and Katie Forer.

Founded more than 90 years ago, R Soper employs more than 300 staff and specialises in supplying fabric-based home furnishings such as blinds, curtains and furniture coverings to major retailers.

The funding deal with Lloyds Bank includes a £6m invoice discounting line, a property loan, and a plant and machinery loan, as well as a letter of credit facility.

A team from the Manchester office of law firm Irwin Mitchell advised Lloyds Bank, led by banking and finance partner Dean Gormley, with associate Vanessa Rickard leading on real estate aspects.

Ashurst advised Berenberg Bank and Bayern LB on the financing of the acquisition of Mercareon GmbH by Transporeon GmbH, a portfolio company of private equity firm The Riverside Company (Riverside).

DLA Piper has advised Ukrainian Public Joint Stock Company Bank Finance and Credit in a refinancing transaction of US$95 million Eurobonds, due in 2014, on matters of English, US, Ukrainian and Dutch law.

Bank Finance and Credit has refinanced its Loan Participation Notes (LPNs) due in 2014 with the issuance of new US$100 million 9.25% LPNs due in 2019 issued by Finance & Credit Ukraine BV through a successful exchange offer and consent solicitation process.

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has represented underwriters Citigroup, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities, and BTG Pactual S.A. in the $829 million secondary offering by Banco de Chile (NYSE: BCH), one of Chile’s largest banks.

Latham & Watkins advised J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Goldman Sachs International and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as initial purchasers in a global offering of US$1.4 billion of 6^7/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 by VTR Finance, the parent of VTR GlobalCom and VTR Wireless.

King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin has advised Evans Randall, the privately-held UK investment banking and private equity group, in connection with the refinancing of its senior debt position on its prime retail shopping centre, the Königsbau Passagen, in Stuttgart, Germany. The transaction, which has replaced the existing facility from HSH Nordbank, includes a senior facility from various Allianz entities for €145 million and a mezzanine facility of €37.5 million provided by European Real Estate Debt II S.á.r.l. which has been advised by DRC Capital.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised the underwriters on the global offering and listing of HK Electric Investments on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which commenced trading today.

The firm also advised lenders on the provision of two syndicated loans (worth a cumulative total of approximately US$4.8bn) in connection with the listing.

The gross proceeds from the IPO were US$3.1bn, making it the largest business trust listing to date in Hong Kong.

Clifford Chance has advised Deutsche Bank, ICBC and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers on the issuance of bonds by Volkswagen International Finance. The transaction has a volume of CNY1.2 billion (approx. EUR144.5 million). The bonds are guaranteed by Volkswagen AG.

The maturity of the bonds is 2019 and their coupon is 3.5 percent.

The Clifford Chance team comprised partner Sebastian Maerker, senior associate Dr. Felix Biedermann (both Banking & Capital Markets, Frankfurt) as well as partner Matt Fairclough (Capital Markets, Hong Kong).

Latham & Watkins advised the Joint Lead Managers, HSBC Saudi Arabia Limited and Saudi Fransi Capital Company, on Saudi Electricity Company’s (SEC) issuance of SAR4.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) Sukuk Certificates.

The transaction represents the first public Saudi Sukuk issuance of 2014 and SEC’s first public Sukuk issuance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in three years. In 2012 and 2013 SEC successfully issued US$3.75 billion 144A and Reg S Sukuk Certificates in the international markets, including the first international 30 year Sukuk by any issuer.