International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised the shareholders of Limejump on the acquisition of the company by Shell Petroleum Company Limited. The deal will enable both companies to take steps to support the UK energy system’s transition to a lower carbon future.

The acquisition allows Limejump to make a much greater impact on the market while enhancing the experience of its customers. Additionally, Limejump will be able to strengthen its products with new innovative features.

Slaughter and May is advising Ocado Group plc ("Ocado") on its online grocery retail 50/50 joint venture ("JV") with Marks and Spencer Group plc ("M&S"). Ocado has agreed to establish a JV comprising Ocado's UK grocery retail business ("Ocado Retail"), supported by a new partnership for solutions services underpinned by Ocado Smart Platform ("OSP") and the provision of branding and sourcing from M&S. M&S has agreed to pay Ocado £750m (including deferred consideration) for a 50% share of the new JV with Ocado retaining 50% ownership.

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised Investec Bank plc (“Investec”) on the construction financing for a 34.7MW solar photovoltaic project near York. The loan documentation was signed on 22 February.

The project, which will be constructed by GRIDSERVE WBC Ltd (a subsidiary of GRIDSERVE EMEA Projects Ltd), has a co-located battery and will be fully subsidy-free. Following completion, the project will be sold to Warrington Borough Council to support its green agenda and save on electricity costs.

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised long-standing client Cubico Sustainable Investments (“Cubico”) on the £272m refinancing of its 200 MW UK renewables portfolio, comprising 17 onshore wind and solar PV projects across the country. All of the projects in the portfolio, a mixture of ROC accredited and Feed-in Tariff projects, are fully operational and reached commercial operation between 2013-2016

Baker McKenzie has added highly regarded transactional lawyer Mark Mandel in New York.

Tracy L. McCreight and Benton T. Wheatley have joined Duane Morris LLP’s growing Austin, Texas office as partners in the firm’s Trial Practice Group. McCreight and Wheatley further enhance the firm’s construction litigation capabilities in Texas and throughout the United States. Prior to joining Duane Morris, McCreight and Wheatley were shareholders at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C., where Wheatley was head of the Austin office. Associate Meredith Mills Gregston has also joined the Trial Practice Group in the firm’s Austin office.

Duane Morris LLP announced that John Benjamin has joined as a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group in the London office. Benjamin joins Duane Morris from DWF LLP, where he led that firm’s Data Protection and Cyber Security practice, as well as the London commercial and technology team.

Morgan Lewis welcomes Michelle McCarthy, who has worked extensively with multiemployer and single employer pension and welfare plans, as a partner resident in Los Angeles. She arrives from a large national law firm.

Michelle’s background includes a major focus on Taft-Hartley matters, including representing some of the entertainment industry’s largest benefits trust funds structured under federal law. She also designs, drafts, and advises on all types of health and welfare and qualified employee retirement plans and assists on executive compensation issues.

International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has announced that Evan Levy has joined the Firm’s New York office as a partner. Mr. Levy will be a senior member of Weil’s market-leading Real Estate practice and will join its leadership team.

“We are delighted to welcome Evan to the Firm,” said Weil Executive Partner Barry Wolf. “His broad-based and substantial experience across all types of real estate transactions will further enhance our leading Real Estate practice.”