UK: feeling healthy

Global law firm Norton Rose advised a consortium of investors on the $700 million acquisition of a portfolio of 12 UK private hospitals from the Spire Healthcare Group.
According to the lawyers, the purchasers are comprised of Malaysia’s Employees Provident Fund, affiliated investment funds of Och-Ziff Capital Management Group and Moor Park Capital Partners.
The aggregate price included debt finance provided by Standard Chartered Bank. Once acquired, the hospitals will go back to Spire -- the second largest private hospital provider in the UK – on long-term leases.
The deal was led by corporate and real estate partners Chris Randall, Lindsay Morgan and Neil Biswas with Duncan Hubbard leading the banking team.
Standard Chartered was advised by magic circle firm Allen & Overy and Spire Healthcare Group by fellow magic circle player, Anglo-German law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

France: no hangovers

French global legal practice Gide Loyrette Nouel advised Pernod Ricard on the sale of several aquavit and bitter brands and assets for €103m.
The French drinks giant cut a deal with leading Norwegian spirits producer Arcus-Gruppen to sell the Danish spirits brands Aalborg and Brøndums, German brand Malteserkreuz Aquavit, and the Danish bitter brand Gammel Dansk. The Aalborg production facility in Denmark was also part of the deal.
The Paris-based lawyers advised Pernod Ricard on the competition aspects of the deal, with partner Antoine Choffel leading the team.

Russia: on the road again

London-based magic circle law firm Linklaters advised the lenders on the Western High-Speed Diameter Project (WHSD) in Saint Petersburg -- Russia's first city-based toll road and the largest ever public-private partnership project in the country.
The scheme encompasses the construction and subsequent operation northern, central and south sections of the road, with the total project financing value of €1.5bn.
The lenders included VTB Capital, Vnesheconombank, Gazprombank, Eurasian Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The Linklaters team was led by partner Daniel Tyrer.

UK: safe as houses

London-based law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner advised long-standing client Abu Dhabi Capital Management (ADCM) on the public-to-private takeover of real estate developer Northacre, which is listed on London’s AIM exchange.
The transaction included an offer from alternative investment firm ADCM for the entire issued share capital of London-based Northacre, at 96p per share. The offer values the entire issued share capital of Northacre at approximately £25.65 million.
Private equity partner Raymond McKeeve led the legal team advising ADCM.
Fellow London-based firm Speechly Bircham and big four accountancy practice Ernst & Young advised Northacre.

UK: Google it

BLP bagged another big deal this week, acting with fellow Londoners Nabarro and  as well as Anglo-US player Hogan Lovells on Google's acquisition of a site in London’s King's Cross for the development of the technology giant's UK headquarters.
Legal Week newspaper reports that King's Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP) granted Google a 999-year lease earlier this month, as well as the right to develop one million sq ft of office space and ground-floor retail. A value for the deal has not been disclosed.
Google has tentatively set 2016 as a target for the move from its current London headquarters at 123 Buckingham Palace Road.
Nabarro picked up the prize of advising new client Google UK after successfully pitching for the role 18 months ago. Real estate partner Marie Scott led a team that included environment partner Clare Deanesly and planning partner Christopher Stanwell.
BLP acted for KCCLP, with real estate partner Andrew Sanders taking the lead, while a Hogan Lovells team headed by real estate partner Gill McGreevy also advised.