LAWFUEL – The Law News Wire – Lovells has been nominated for four awards at the ALB Japan Law Awards, to be held in Tokyo on 31 May.
Detail:
The firm is shortlisted in the following award categories:
• M&A Deal of the Year – Softbank: Vodafone Japan
• Securitisation Deal of the Year: SoftBank
• International Deal Team of the Year: Lovells – Corporate/M&A
• International Dealmaker of the Year: Tim Lester – Lovells
Softbank’s acquisition, which completed in April 2006, was the largest LBO in Asia. Vodafone Japan was then valued at an enterprise value of approximately ¥1.8 trillion (US$15 billion/£8.9 billion). Lovells advised SoftBank throughout.
The subsequent ¥1,441.9 billion (US$12 billion/ £6.4 billion) whole business securitisation of Softbank to refinance the LBO, in which Lovells also advised, was arguably the largest whole business securitisation anywhere.
Research criteria:
ALB researchers sent out nomination forms and conducted interviews with leading practitioners, in-house counsel and use their own stock of industry knowledge to evaluate the major deals of the year. The panel of judges, which includes senior in-house lawyers, then assess the importance of each deal according to size, complexity, breadth and innovation.
