20 December 2004 – LAWFUEL – First with law news – Cravath represented Johnson & Johnson in its acquisition of Guidant Corporation for approximately $25 billion. The partners involved in this matter were Robert I. Townsend, III on corporate issues and Lewis R. Steinberg on tax issues. The deal was announced on December 15, 2004.

Skadden is representing Guidant Corporation in its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson. The deal is reportedly valued at $25.4 billion.

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 19 2004 – LAWFUEL – First with law news – The United States Department of Justice on Friday (December 17, 2004) asked the Federal District Court in San Diego to dismiss without prejudice its lawsuit against xelan and Doctors Benefit Insurance Company, companies that provide financial planning and insurance for health care

17 December 2004 – LAWFUEL law news – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California announced that Yan Ming Shan, 35, of Daqing, China, was sentenced to two years in prison today by U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy Fogel for gaining unauthorized access to a Silicon Valley business’ computers in order

17 December 2004 – LAWFUEL – First with law news – Allen & Overy is advising Serco Group plc on its recommended offer to acquire all of the issued and to be issued share capital of ITNET plc. Serco will offer 320p for each ITNET share valuing ITNET at approximately £235 million. The all cash

Herbert Smith announces today that it has appointed Michael Walter and Sonya Leydecker to become head of corporate and head of litigation respectively from 01 April 2005. Michael will replace current corporate head Caroline Goodall, following the completion of her five-year tenure, and Sonya will take over from David Gold when he becomes senior partner

December 16, 2004 (MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA). Symantec (Nasdaq:SYMC) and VERITAS Software (Nasdaq:VRTS) announced their agreement to merge, in an historic transaction valued at over $13.5 billion. This transaction would be the largest technology merger since HP/Compaq and the largest software industry merger ever. Fenwick & West represents its long-standing client Symantec in this transaction. The

17 December 2004 – LAWFUEL – First with law news – Barclays Capital helps Friends Provident complete £380m securitisation first Barclays Capital was lead manager of the ground-breaking £380m securitisation completed today by Friends Provident Life and Pensions Limited, the independent UK life insurer. Friends Provident is the first UK proprietary life insurer to raise

17 December 2004 -Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Christopher A. Wray, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice; Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, announced today that defendant, Kent Frank, made his initial appearance in federal court in the Southern District of Florida,

20 December 2004 – LAWFUEL – First with law news – International law firm Norton Rose has advised on fund raisings undertaken by two AIM listed gold mining companies, Oxus Gold plc (“Oxus”) and Cluff Gold plc (“Cluff”). Both transactions were announced on 30 November 2004. Norton Rose acted for RBC Capital Markets, the sole