DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Represents Qcells in its Historic Eight-Year Strategic Alliance with Microsoft
January 30, 2024
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery represented Qcells, a global leader in complete clean energy solutions, in its historic eight-year strategic alliance agreement with Microsoft Corp. (Microsoft), a global technology company and one of the world’s largest purchasers of renewable energy. QCells will supply Microsoft with 12 GW of solar modules and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services – the equivalent of powering 1.8 million homes annually. The agreement will help decarbonize the grid and diversify the global clean energy supply chain.
The McDermott deal team was led by Debbie Harrison and Andrew Kim and included Phil Tingle, Seth Doughty and Princess Fuller.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Represents AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC in its Acquisition of Weaver Holdings, LLC
COVERAGE
McDermott Represents AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC in its Acquisition of Weaver Holdings, LLC
January 30, 2024
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery represented AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC (AUA Private Equity) in its acquisition of Weaver Holdings, LLC (Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing), a fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer of popcorn and snacking products. Weaver Popcorn Manufacturing is the largest independent manufacturer of popcorn in the United States.
The McDermott deal team was led by Laurence Bronska and included Jarrett Szczesny, Gary Rosenbaum, Adam Byrne, Kim Kay, Julian Andre, Eleanor Atkins, Mark Bilut, Betty Brito, Ty Carson, Nicole Cortina, Thomas DaMario, Kate Delcoure, Stéphane Dionnet, Jonathan Ende, Matt Evola, Emily Farrahi, Rachel Gartner, Noah Green, Gregory Heltzer, Jennifer Hill, Jessica Hirshon, John Hoffman, Jeffrey Holdvogt, Caitlin Howe, Andrew Kratenstein, Ben Kryder, Christopher Lahiff, Ari Mandell, Kristi Mankowske, Brian Mead, Jennifer Mikulina, Traci Ottenfeld, Niraj Patel, Wendy Phinny, Maxwell Preston, Delaney Prunty, Michael Rostov, Alejandro Ruiz, Brandon Sarkauskas, Deepak Tamasker, Robert Unger, Gregory Weigand, Scott Weinstein, Hayley Yandoli and Daniel Zucker.
Read AUA Private Equity’s announcement.
AUA Private Equity Partners is an operationally focused, lower middle-market investment firm providing strategic capital to companies in the consumer products and services sectors with a particular focus on family-owned businesses. It targets both consumer products and consumer services with equity investments of $40 to $100 million in companies that generate in excess of $10 million in EBITDA.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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Workplace Speech Policies Limit Legal and PR Risks
COVERAGE
Workplace Speech Policies Limit Legal and PR Risks
January 30, 2024
Read time: 2 min
The rules and regulations on workplace and employee speech, interpretation and enforcement are rapidly changing. Companies must carefully factor legal and business implications into their strategy to reach the desired outcomes for their customers, workforce and brand.
In this article, Michael Sheehan, Michelle Strowhiro and Alexander Randolph examine important considerations for companies as they navigate the complexities of workplace and employee speech.
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McDermott Represents Oka, The Carbon Insurance Company™ in Connection with Lloyd’s and US Platforms and Cloverly Partnership to Launch First-Ever Insured Carbon Credits
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Represents Oka, The Carbon Insurance Company™ in Connection with Lloyd’s and US Platforms and Cloverly Partnership to Launch First-Ever Insured Carbon Credits
January 30, 2024
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery represented Oka, The Carbon Insurance Company™ (Oka) in its launch of a Lloyd’s syndicate-in-a-box and US service company providing first-of-its-kind insurance protections against carbon credit risks. McDermott represents Oka in all aspects of its business including the negotiation of terms with Asta Managing Agency Ltd, the managing agent of the Lloyd’s syndicate and the de novo development with Oka of its innovative insurance product intended to protect against certain reversal and invalidation risks to buyers in the voluntary carbon credit market.
Oka’s partnership with Cloverly, the leading digital platform for climate action, is first to market with a new brand of credit that reduces the risk of carbon offsetting. The premium credits — available exclusively to 300+ global enterprises through Cloverly — come pre-wrapped in Oka insurance, providing reversal and invalidation protections for buyers of the carbon credits. Cloverly’s innovative platform together with Oka’s risk infrastructure creates a seamless and more secure route to climate action.
The McDermott deal team was led by Michael Halsband and Mike Byrne and included Ryan Smethurst, Jacob Hollinger, Andrea Best, Ellie West, Sarah Gabbai, Amber Adair, Leigh Solomon and Leila Fujiwara.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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McDermott Advises HYUNDAI on Strategic Investment in FLAXRES
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises HYUNDAI on Strategic Investment in FLAXRES
January 30, 2024
Read time: 3 min
Frankfurt, January 25, 2024 – McDermott Will & Emery has advised the Korean HYUNDAI Corporation on the acquisition of a strategic stake in FLAXRES GmbH, headquartered in Dresden, Germany, from FLAXTEC GmbH. Both companies have been portfolio companies of the German-Dutch management holding company econnext AG since 2021.
FLAXRES GmbH, founded in 2017, is a technology provider for the pure separation of composite materials, in particular for the recycling of photovoltaic modules.
HYUNDAI Corporation was established in 1976 as an import and export trading house of HYUNDAI Group. It has grown as a representative general trading company in Korea with excellent results in international trade focusing on heavy chemical products, overseas investment, and energy & resource development fields.
The McDermott team was led by partner Florian Lechner and counsel Christian Marzlin and comprised partners Heiko Kermer, Steffen Woitz and Deniz Tschammler, counsel Laura Stammwitz as well as associates Lisa Schickling, Sönke Wassermann and Alexandra Heberle.
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The Supply Chain Duty of Care Act in the Real Estate Sector
ARTICLE / CLIENT ALERT
The Supply Chain Duty of Care Act in the Real Estate Sector
January 26, 2024
Read time: 2 min
The scope of application of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (“LkSG”) was significantly expanded on January 1, 2024. Since then, companies with 1,000 employees or more (in the entire domestic group of companies) have been covered by the scope of application. Many companies in the real estate sector now also have to deal with the LkSG for the first time and implement the obligations arising from the law, as the acquisition and development of real estate or the rental of corresponding premises may also fall within the supply chain under certain circumstances. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that further tightening of the LkSG will follow due to the currently planned EU Supply Chain Directive.
In view of the current political discussion regarding the LkSG and the severe fines for non-compliance with the requirements of the LkSG, the objectives, scope of application and main obligations of the LkSG should be known.
Find the full article, “Das Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz in der Immobilienbranche,” in German.
McDermott Advises Main Capital on the Acquisition of a Majority Stake in Buchner & Partner
DEAL ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Advises Main Capital on the Acquisition of a Majority Stake in Buchner & Partner
Januar 25, 2024
Read time: 3 min
Munich, January 25, 2024 – McDermott Will & Emery has advised Main Capital Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in software provider Buchner & Partner GmbH.
The management team around company founder Ralf Buchner continues to hold a significant minority stake in the company and will work closely together with Main Capital Partners in the next growth phase.
Founded in Kiel, Germany, in 1991, Buchner & Partner GmbH develops software solutions for practice management, primarily for patient and prescription management, invoicing and personnel management. With approx. 160 employees, the company serves around 45,000 physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, podiatrists and other medical professionals.
Main Capital Partners is a leading software investor with over €2.2 billion in assets under management and an active portfolio of more than 40 software companies in the DACH region, the Benelux and Nordic countries and the USA.
McDermott Will & Emery regularly acts as advisor to Main Capital Partners in transactions.
The McDermott team was led by partner Hanno M. Witt (Private Equity, Munich) and comprised partners Dustin Schwerdtfeger (Corporate Finance, Düsseldorf), Deniz Tschammler (Commercial/Regulatory, Frankfurt), Christian Rolf (Frankfurt), Thomas Gennert, Gudrun Germakowski (both Düsseldorf; all Employment) and Christian Masch (IP/IT, Munich), counsel Christian Marzlin (Private Equity, Frankfurt), Marcus Fischer (Tax, Frankfurt), Claus Färber (IP/IT, Munich) as well as associates Nicole Kaps, Berfin Sahin (both Private Equity, Munich), Matthias M. Bosbach, Romy Lanz (both Finance, Düsseldorf), Simon Apelojg (IP/IT, Munich), Lukas Deutzmann (Cologne/Düsseldorf), Ilva Woeste (Frankfurt; both Employment), Dr. Lea Hachmeister (Healthcare/Regulatory, Frankfurt).
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McDermott Welcomes Private Equity Partner in New York
PRESS RELEASE
McDermott Welcomes Private Equity Partner in New York
January 23, 2024
Read time: 3 min
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery welcomes Julia Boyd as a partner in its Transactions Practice Group in New York. Julia is well known in the New York private equity space and regularly advises on a variety of cross-border transactions.
“We expect a very busy 2024 for private equity transactions across several industries, including healthcare, energy and technology,” said Harris Siskind, global head of McDermott’s Transactions Practice Group. “Julia brings experience in these ‘power alley’ areas, and we’re thrilled she has chosen McDermott.”
Julia represents private equity, private credit and venture capital funds in addition to portfolio companies in complex corporate transactions. She counsels clients across industries on domestic and international mergers, asset and stock acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, bolt-ons, private equity and venture capital investments, growth equity financings, recapitalizations, corporate restructurings and dispositions.
Julia also represents clients in connection with governance, executive compensation and other corporate and commercial matters. Her clients come from a wide range of industries, including healthcare, technology, education, financial services, entertainment, consumer goods, manufacturing and general industrials.
“McDermott’s deep private equity bench and industry-leading healthcare and life sciences practices present compelling opportunities to collaborate across practice groups and provide more strategic counsel to clients,” said Julia.
Passionate about promoting justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, Julia co-founded Senior Women in Private Equity (SWIPE), an informal network of senior female investment professionals in private equity, private credit and venture capital firms. SWIPE has over 3,500 members globally.
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
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Access Denied: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts in Divorce
COVERAGE
Access Denied: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts in Divorce
January 22, 2024
Read time: 2 min
A spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT) is a popular estate-planning tool for married couples, but failing to anticipate divorce when creating a SLAT can turn a once great planning opportunity into an expensive nightmare for the couple. In their article for Trust & Estates, Christen K. Douglas and Joseph J. Viviano explore the unexpected and undesirable income tax consequences that can arise from SLATs after divorce and how careful drafting and communication can help avoid these problems.
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FERC Can’t Justify Power Sale Refund Orders, DC Circ. Hears
COVERAGE
FERC Can’t Justify Power Sale Refund Orders, DC Circ. Hears
January 22, 2024
Read time: 2 min
