We are delighted to announce that Julian Moore has joined our London office, as the head of the London sports team.

The sports team at Mills & Reeve has advised clients on a wide range of legal issues across a variety of different sports for over 25 years. In that time, we have built a strong foundation based upon providing clients with a wealth of experience and a personal and engaging approach. Our clients include clubs, agents, players' unions, federations, sponsors and some of the best athletes in the world.

Sector-focused law firm HFW has boosted its Houston office and its global energy practice with the hire of partner Derek J. Anchondo.

Derek specialises in oil & gas and energy transactions, and joins the firm from Greenberg Traurig.

DLA Piper has added to its Real Estate and Corporate practice groups with three hires in Rome. Filippo Cecchetti, partner, joins together with Eleonora Laurito, legal director and Giulia Minetti Floccari, lawyer. All three hires come from Chiomenti Studio Legale where Filippo has worked as a partner since 2015.

The international commercial law firm BEITEN BURKHARDT provided advice to the Frankfurt FinTech awamo GmbH also during its third seed financing round. With this seven-digit investment the financing volume of awamo could be further extended. The parties have agreed not to disclose the exact amount of these participating interests.

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has jointly advised NewVoiceMedia, an industry-leading cloud contact centre-as-a-service provider, on its acquisition by Vonage Holdings for an equity price of $350 million. Osborne Clarke worked alongside Weil, Gotshal & Manges and also advised the management team on the process.

The acquisition combines Vonage’s robust solutions with NewVoiceMedia’s pure-play cloud contact centre offerings, providing an end-to-end communication experience for a company’s employees and customers.

International law firm Pinsent Masons has successfully advised Siemens on its acquisition of UK based software business Lightwork Design.

Lightwork Design is a computer software and technology licensing company based in Sheffield, UK.

The acquisition will allow Siemens to provide customers with enhanced 3D data visualisation, high-end rendering and virtual reality capabilities via its comprehensive suite of 3D product lifecycle management (PLM) software applications.

Slaughter and May advised Wren House Infrastructure Management Limited on the acquisition of North Sea Midstream Partners Limited from funds managed by ArcLight Capital Partners. The firm also advised on the acquisition financing and related management equity arrangements.

International law firm Ashurst has advised EF Solare Italia S.p.A., as borrower, on a €100 million equity bridge loan, consisting of a revolving cash credit line, granted by UBI Banca SpA.

The credit line will guarantee EF Solare Italia, the leading photovoltaic operator in Italy, the financial flexibility necessary to continue the process of consolidation of the sector.

This is one of the largest equity bridge loans in Italy in the renewables sector.

International law firm CMS has advised Comcast on specialist media, telecommunications and gambling regulation aspects of its bid for Sky. Comcast, the US-based media and technology company, was the highest bidder for UK-based entertainment and communications company Sky in an auction managed by the UK’s Takeover Panel.

The firm has a longstanding relationship with Comcast and its subsidiary NBCUniversal, advising on channel distribution and TV production matters.

Eversheds Sutherland advises Origami Energy on sale of 19MW of battery storage projects

Eversheds Sutherland has advised market leading technology company Origami Energy on its sale of two battery storage projects to UK-listed Gore Street Energy Fund.

The two battery storage projects, which have a combined capacity of 19MW, are in south east England. The portfolio includes a 10MW front of meter unit in Brentwood and a 9MW behind-the meter unit at Tilbury Port in Essex.