Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is advising Liberty Mutual Insurance in its agreement to sell Summit Holdings Southeast, Inc. and its related companies (“Summit”) to American Financial Group, Inc. (“AFG”) in an all-cash transaction. Based in Lakeland, Florida, Summit is a leading provider of workers’ compensation solutions in the Southeastern United States, with approximately $520 million of premium written. Following the transaction, Summit will continue to operate under the Summit brand as a member of AFG’s Great American Insurance Group.

Ashurst advised Fusion IP plc, the AIM-listed company established in 2002 to commercialise university-generated intellectual property, on the recommended all-share offer made by IP Group plc for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Fusion IP. IP Group, which currently owns a 20.1% stake, has agreed to buy the remaining 80% stake in Fusion IP.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Guardian Media Group plc, publisher of theguardian.com and the Guardian and Observer newspapers, on its agreement to sell its 50.1% stake in Trader Media Group to its joint venture partner Apax Partners.

The Trader Media disposal, subject to regulatory approval and final completion, forms part of a five-year digital-first strategy that has delivered increasing advertising revenues, improved circulation figures and enhanced investment returns as GMG focuses on its core assets.

Linklaters has advised the shareholder of the Küpper Group on the sale of its group of companies. Purchaser is an special purpose vehicle held by Amtek India Limited.

Simpson Thacher is representing Cetera Financial Group in connection with RCS Capital Corporation’s (NYSE: RCAP) announced acquisition of Cetera for $1.15 billion in cash. The closing of the transaction, which is expected later in 2014, is subject to FINRA approval and other customary closing conditions.

Dechert LLP advised Tilda Limited ("Tilda"), a leading Basmati and specialty rice products company, and its shareholders on the sale of Tilda to The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN), a leading organic and natural products company. Hain Celestial was advised by Jefferies Inc. and DLA Piper; Rothschild advised Tilda and its shareholders on the transaction along with Dechert.

Johnson & Johnson has received a binding offer from The Carlyle Group to acquire its Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics business for US$4.15 billion. Cravath represented Johnson & Johnson in connection with this transaction. The acceptance period for the offer will end on March 31, 2014, unless extended. If the offer is accepted by Johnson & Johnson, the proposed transaction would be expected to close toward the middle of the year, pending fulfillment of certain conditions, including regulatory approvals and other customary closing requirements.

Wragge & Co's Corporate team has advised on the sale of cloud services provider Intercept IT Limited to Alternative Networks plc. A team led by partner Baljit Chohan advised the vendors on the deal, worth £13 million.

Intercept IT is a leading UK cloud service provider and, since 2002, the management team has grown the business into an established provider of Hosted Desktop solutions to the SME market. The sale will enable Alternative Networks to broaden its range of IT services and provide it with a vehicle to deliver additional cloud services.

DLA Piper represented EagleView Technology Corporation (EVT), a provider of geo-referenced aerial image capture and visual-centric data analytics and solutions, in the negotiation of the agreement by which EVT will be acquired by Verisk Analytics, Inc. for US$650 million.  The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.  

Baker & McKenzie advised the stock-listed Swiss investment holding company Airesis S.A. on its sale of the Boards & More Group to EMERAM Capital Partners. The Boards & More Group is one of the world’s leading company for kite surfing, windsurfing and stand up paddling and biking equipment with the brands Fanatic, ION und North. The company generated revenues of approximately EUR45 million in 2012.