Clayton Utz has appointed Graham Read as a partner in its market-leading national Construction and Major Projects practice.

Graham is an experienced construction and infrastructure lawyer who works with both public and private sector clients, with a particularly strong track record advising NSW and Commonwealth government clients.

Graham began his career in private practice and has worked at large firms as well as in-house in general counsel roles with NSW State government.

Group Nike has officially announced it will open its flagship store at 79, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, within an Art Deco-style building belonging to Groupama Immobilier.

At this new address, the American brand will develop its House of Innovation concept in a sales area covering 4,300 sq.m. and which will include labs to customise each model, digital experience areas, VIP spaces, private coaching by the world's best athletes, digital services to find a product or a size, and collect a product or have it delivered.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Russia) LLP has advised Da Vinci Capital, a leading emerging markets private equity firm, on investing in DataArt, a global technology consultancy that designs and develops unique software solutions for supporting company growth momentum in key industries.
DataArt will continue to focus on its three key markets: the US, the UK and continental Europe, where Da Vinci Capital has substantial assets and a proven track record, including steering software engineering powerhouse Epam to an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012.

International law firm Clifford Chance acted as counsel to the underwriters in connection with the issuance by Logicor, the largest direct owner of logistics property in Europe, of three tranches of senior unsecured guaranteed notes.

The €1.8 billion transaction represents Logicor's debut bond offering and is believed to be the largest euro-denominated debut trade by a real estate company.

Clifford Chance has advised on bond issues by other real estate companies in the last 12 months including for Blackstone Property Partners, Prologis and Atrium.

Global law firm Clyde & Co has advised Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, on its joint venture (JV) with a London borough council to build 300 homes for the private rented sector (PRS).

The partnership with Lewisham Council will provide up to 300 homes as well as a new GP surgery, pharmacy, office space and an outdoor gym at Besson Street in New Cross Gate.

The scheme will comprise 35% affordable homes let at "London Living Rent" and long-term tenancies for Lewisham residents.

A team from Fieldfisher's Manchester office has advised on a string of multi-million venture capital investments into UK fast growth technology and software services companies. The Fieldfisher team, led by Corporate partner Tom Ward, advised both companies on the funding rounds, and included solicitor Rachel Leigh in Manchester with tax advice provided by London tax partner Andrew Prowse.

Slaughter and May advised NewDay Cards Ltd (NewDay Cards) and its affiliates in relation to a public debt issue under its own-brand credit card securitisation.

The transaction involved the issuance, through a master trust structure, of $150 million and £176.1 million of Series 2018-2 Floating Rate Asset Backed Notes (the Series 2018-2 Notes) by NewDay Funding 2018-2 Plc (the Issuer). The issuance was the second dollar issuance by NewDay Cards, following its first issuance under Rule 144A under the US Securities Act in July 2018, on which the firm also advised.

Travers Smith LLP has advised Mears Group PLC, a leading service partner to the UK social housing and care sectors, on the acquisition from Mitie Group PLC of its maintenance services business. The acquired business provides reactive and planned maintenance services to housing clients in the UK.

Travers Smith also advised on a parallel placing of shares in the capital of Mears to raise approximately £22.5 million to fund the initial cash consideration for the Acquisition.

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised HSBC Bank plc, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited HSBC Corporate Trustee Company (UK) Limited (“HSBC”) and a syndicate of banks including Mashreqbank psc (“Mashreqbank”), HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and Bank of Communications Ltd in connection with three Sinosure-backed loan facilities totalling approximately US$123m to UAE-based Zakher Marine International Inc (“ZMI”), to finance the construction and acquisition of three new high-spec jack-up barges.

London—Dentons has advised Science in Sport plc (SiS) on its £32 million acquisition of PhD Nutrition Ltd, a premium, innovation-led protein brand, and its related placing of shares to raise £29 million.

Science in Sport is an AIM-quoted, market-leading endurance sports nutrition company headquartered in the UK which develops, manufactures and markets sports nutrition products for elite athletes and sports enthusiasts. The company has agreed to acquire PhD Nutrition Ltd for £32 million in cash and shares on a cash-free, debt-free basis.