Weil Gotshal & Manges acted for Telewest on its £428m acquisition of NTL’s stake in Cable London. The deal, which saw Telewest acquire the 50% of NTL it did not already own, involved a rights issue and a subscription agreement. The Weil Gotshal team was led by capital markets partner Michael Brady. Telewest was also represented by Freshfields corporate partner Gareth Stephenson. Sullivan & Cromwell, led by London office partner Stewart Robertson, and Lovell White Durrant, led by Richard Upland, advised Microsoft, which is taking a share in Telewest. Denton Hall corporate partner Philip Goodwin and Amy Hirter of Sherman & Howard in New York advised Telewest shareholder Liberty Media.
Mishcon de Reya, led by corporate finance partner Jonathan Berman advised retail group Blacks Leisure on the £50.8m acquisition of The Outdoor Group, the UK’s largest retailer of outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment. Norton Rose, led by corporate finance partner Barbara Stephenson and banking partner Richard Calnan, advised on shareholder circular and banking matters. Corporate partner Nick Moore and assistant Simon Amies of Travers Smith Braithwaite advised The Outdoor Group. The largest shareholder in The Outdoor Group, 3i Group, was advised by Addleshaw Booth & Co; and Bank of Scotland, which provided finance to Blacks, was advised by Dickson Minto.
Halliwell Landau, led by corporate partner Clive Garston, advised The Intercare Group on its £24.8m acquisition of parallel import group European Pharmaceuticals Group (EPG). EPG is one of the largest short line wholesalers offering parallel imports of branded prescription pharmaceutical products. Norton Rose, led by corporate finance partner Campbell Steedman, advised the vendor, Dutch retail giant Groenwoudt Groep. Diana van Erdingen of Stibbe Simont Monahan Duhot advised Groenwoudt on Dutch law.
