Global law firm Eversheds has advised the University of Manchester on the signing of a commercialisation agreement with IP Group, a developer of intellectual property based businesses.
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has advised Azercosmos, Azerbaijan’s space agency and first satellite operator, on a project worth USD 230 million to successfully launch the Azerspace/Africasat 1a satellite.
The satellite blasted off from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guyana successfully on 7 February and is designed to provide high bandwidth communications capacity across Europe, Central Asia and Africa. The launch represented a new record for the weight of the satellites placed in orbit by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
Simmons & Simmons Advises Copperbelt Minerals Limited on Transfer of Major Mining Deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Simmons & Simmons advised Copperbelt Minerals Limited (Copperbelt) on its negotiations with the Congolese state-owned company la Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines) on a settlement to put an amicable end to their partnership on the mining deposits of Deziwa and Ecaille C in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Ashurst advised the bidding consortium consisting of National Express Rail GmbH and IntEgro Verkehr GmbH in connection with the awarded contract to run the rail lines, regional express train 7 (RE 7) and regional train 48 (RB 48), in North Rhine-Westphalia. Following a Europe-wide competitive tender the committee responsible for contract-awarding decided in favour of the bidding consortium on 6 February. The German branch of the British transport group National Express and the rail operator IntEgro based in Saxony will run the two lines for 15 years from December 2015.
International legal practice Norton Rose has advised the EU agency, Fusion for Energy, on a contract in excess of €250m for the design and construction of a tokamak reactor hall and associated infrastructure for a fusion reactor complex at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Project in Cadarache, France.
Hogan Lovells advised members of the Shah Deniz Consortium (BP, Statoil, SOCAR, and Total) on an equity option and funding agreement; and the Shah Deniz Consortium on a co-operation agreement, both with Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GMBH (Nabucco) and its existing shareholders (OMV, BOTAS, BEH, Transgaz, RWE and FGSZ).
Slaughter and May and a host of additional firms advised Royal Philips Electronics on the transfer of its Lifestyle Entertainment business, which includes Audio, Video, Multimedia and Accessories, to Japan's Funai Electric Co., Ltd. Under the terms, Funai will pay a cash consideration of EUR150m (£128m) and a brand license fee, relating to a license agreement for an initial period of five and a half years, with an optional renewal of five years.
Charles Russell is proud to have advised the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) on two ground breaking new assignments.
Leading public sector law firm Trowers & Hamlins has advised on what is believed to be the first major social housing solar power project in the UK since the Feed-in Tariffs were cut by government in November last year.
The deal also breaks new ground with the arrangement of an insurance-backed solution to meet the requirements of the Council of Mortgage Lenders guidelines for lenders to housing associations.
Slaughter and May advised Allianz SE, the global financial services provider, on a 10-year bancassurance distribution agreement with HSBC under which HSBC Group companies will distribute Allianz life insurance and pension products in Turkey and other countries in Continental Europe as may be agreed.
Contacts
Corporate and Commercial: Craig Cleaver (partner), Michael Binning (associate); Tax: Sara Luder (partner), Gregory Price (associate)