2023 Annual Review
Our 2023 Year in Review
A Message from the Chair
Ted Mayer, Chair of Hughes Hubbard & Reed
At Hughes Hubbard, we pride ourselves on the important work we do for our clients and the victories we achieve for them.
With victories in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, 2023 saw important, global successes for our clients. From representing our clients in key corporate deals to counseling them through complex litigation matters, we relied on our culture of collaboration, dedication and success to secure the best outcomes for our clients.
In April, our litigation team won a ground-breaking victory in a heavily watched trial when a Connecticut federal court tossed a Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal antitrust case. The ruling created a challenging legal precedent for the DOJ – it was the first time in decades that criminal antitrust charges were thrown out under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. Major publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, reported on our attorneys’ success in this landmark case.
Our litigation team saw another noteworthy success when they secured the release of a former high-level FIFA executive from prison, winning him compassionate release due to a years long delay of medical treatment that slowly left him blind. In November, our litigators advised a prominent music entrepreneur and producer in the sale of his label to music giant Universal and the forming and funding of his new company.
Our corporate practice secured a $2 billion financing facility for a major commercial aircraft leasing business, providing our client the final bridge before they access the capital markets. In October, our corporate attorneys advised a global investment firm in its acquisition of a leading aircraft seat vendor, securing our client’s place as the fourth largest competitor in the market. Our corporate team saw another impressive success when they guided a major biopharmaceutical company in a multi-million dollar sale of two prescription drugs used to treat mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes syndrome.
Along with our outstanding litigation and corporate successes, our bankruptcy team guided Stanadyne and Pure Power, leading manufacturers of fuel pumps and injectors, through their Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, in which our attorneys advised them on the sale of approximately $350 million of debt.
Our ability to focus on and truly understand our clients’ needs is due to the breadth of our attorneys’ skills and knowledge across all practice areas and offices. Last year, we expanded our deep bench through the internal promotion and lateral hiring of an exceptional class of attorneys.
In Los Angeles we welcomed highly regarded attorney Yi-Chin Ho as partner, Co-Chair of the China Practice and Chair of Asia Practice Development, who serves the firm with her extensive corporate experience representing Chinese companies based in the U.S. and abroad.
In New York we welcomed esteemed attorney Richard J. Miller, Jr. as partner in the firm’s Tax and Trust & Estates group, who serves the firm with his extensive experience representing individuals and cultural institutions across wealth transfer tax planning, charitable planning and more.
We also want to celebrate the four attorneys we elevated to partnership last year, Jan Dunin-Wasowicz, an experienced member of our Anti-Corruption & Internal Investigations and Arbitration group and Co-Chair of our Sanctions, Export Controls & Anti-Money Laundering practice; Brendan Franzoni, a talented member of our litigation team and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Regulatory & Compliance practice; Malik Havalic, a dedicated member of our litigation team and member of the firm’s arbitration and antitrust groups; and Javad Husain, a significant member of our corporate practice.
Additionally, we promoted three to counsel in January, Justin Cohen, Gregory Farrell, and Anna Hamati, whose talent and breadth of knowledge further our ability to provide exceptional advice to our clients.
We were once again recognized in Chambers’ 2023 U.S., Global, Europe and Latin America guides, highly recommended by Latin Lawyer and named in multiple practice areas throughout Legal 500’s Latin American and U.S. guides. Among other recognitions, our investigations practice earned a prestigious place on Global Investigations Review’s GIR 30 list, a ranking of the best law firms for complex multijurisdictional corporate investigations, and our bankruptcy practice was named to the renowned Global Restructuring Review’s GRR 30 list, a ranking of the top 30 law firms for restructuring and insolvency matters around the world.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our clients who are responsible for such a successful year and to our lawyers whose hard work and dedication are paramount to the firm’s success. We are proud to recognize the ground-breaking successes we accomplished together in 2023.
“Hughes Hubbard has a large team which can cater to all our international needs.”
Chambers Global, 2024
Results
Last year, Hughes Hubbard attorneys brought in newsworthy litigation victories, closed large and complex deals, and guided clients through extensive restructurings.
Litigation
Hughes Hubbard’s defeat of a DOJ no-poach case was our most widely reported litigation victory in 2023, but not our only one. The firm also defended new and longtime clients in a variety of cases and brought amici curiae to the U.S.’ highest courts.
Victory in DOJ No-Poach Case
Hughes Hubbard won a headline-grabbing victory when a Connecticut federal court tossed a Department of Justice criminal antitrust case, entering a judgment of acquittal for firm client Harpreet Wasan immediately after the government rested. Read More
Biotronik Qui Tam Win on Motion to Dismiss
Hughes Hubbard secured a win for longtime firm client Biotronik, Inc. in a qui tam case filed against the medical device manufacturer in federal court in California. Brought by two former Biotronik employees, the complaint alleged the company had engaged in a nepotistic hiring scheme, and had hired the brother of a physician in order to induce the physician to use more of Biotronik’s products. The court dismissed the case in its entirety.
Supreme Court Amicus Brief
Hughes Hubbard filed an amici curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy, which is one of the most important the Supreme Court heard on administrative law and federal courts in recent memory. Read More
Syracuse Mountains Corporation Granted Default Judgment
Hughes Hubbard obtained a default judgment in favor of Syracuse Mountains Corporation against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in a breach of contract case regarding eleven series of bonds that were issued by the country in 1997, 1998 and 2001.
Ex-FIFA Executive’s Prison Release
Juan Ángel Napout – the former head of South American soccer’s governing body CONMEBOL – won his release from federal prison following two oral arguments by Hughes Hubbard in the Eastern District of New York. Read More
Save Our Allies’ Fraud Suit
Hughes Hubbard obtained a $1.9 million damages award for nonprofit organization Save Our Allies in a fraud suit against groups that claimed they would help relocate Afghan refugees waiting in Pakistan for resettlement. Read More
Defense of Vibrantz
Hughes Hubbard is defending Vibrantz Corporation (formerly Ferro Corporation) in the latest of a series of lawsuits alleging contamination of drinking water by the chemical 1,4-dioxane. Read More
Jonny Shipes Dispute Concerning Sale of Cinematic Music Group
Hughes Hubbard advised music entrepreneur and producer Jonathan Shapiro, pka Jonny Shipes, in a dispute arising from the sale of Cinematic Music Group, his label and management company, to Interscope Geffen A&M in an eight-figure deal. In tandem with this, Hughes Hubbard represented Shipes in forming and funding his new full-service entertainment company GoodTalk. Read More
Victory in Federal Elections Commission Investigation
Hughes Hubbard represented a U.S. business and its CEO in a Federal Elections Commission investigation into potential violations of campaign finance laws via alleged in-kind contributions to an employee who ran for Congress. The client was cleared of any allegation of misconduct.
Products Liability Argument Before NJ Supreme Court
Hughes Hubbard argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court on behalf of amicus curiae the New Jersey Defense Association in the products liability case McGinnis v. Bard. Read More
M&A
Hughes Hubbard spent 2023 leading innovative mergers and acquisitions deals in industries as diverse as hospitality, esports, medical technology and zero-emission vehicles.
Renewable Energy Joint Venture for Daimler
Hughes Hubbard and Daimler Truck’s inhouse legal team advised Daimler Truck, one of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, in a transaction establishing a $650 million joint venture with BlackRock Renewable Power and NextEra Energy Resources known as Greenlane™ to design, develop, install and operate a U.S. nationwide, high-performance zero-emission public charging and hydrogen fueling network for medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
MSGE and Tao in Sale to Mohari Hospitality
Hughes Hubbard represented Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. and TAO Group Hospitality in the sale of Tao Group Hospitality to global investment company Mohari Hospitality. Read More
RM Sotheby’s Joint Venture with Motorsport Network
Hughes Hubbard represented RM Sotheby's in the negotiation for the formation of a joint venture with Motorsport Network. The new joint venture, Sotheby's Motorsport, is an online auction platform for luxury cars.
Advance Sale of 1010data
Hughes Hubbard acted as legal counsel to media company Advance Publications Inc. – whose portfolio includes Vogue, the New Yorker, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment and The IRONMAN – and its portfolio company 1010data, a leading provider of enterprise analytics, in the sale of 1010data to SymphonyAI.
MSG’s Combination of Counter Logic and NRG
Hughes Hubbard advised Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. on the combination of its esports business Counter Logic Gaming with professional gaming and entertainment company NRG.
Kensington’s Deal with Arrival
Hughes Hubbard advised special purpose acquisition company Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. V in its proposed merger with electric vehicle manufacturer Arrival. The deal – announced on April 6 – was valued at $524 million. The combined company will remain listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ARVL. Read More
Cyclerion’s Medicine Sale
Hughes Hubbard represented Cyclerion Therapeutics in the company’s sale of the rights to two drugs used to treat mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes syndrome (MELAS) to a newly-formed company. Read More
AURELIUS Acquires HAECO Cabin Solutions
Hughes Hubbard advised globally active alternative investment firm AURELIUS on the acquisition by its portfolio company, ZIM Aircraft Seating, of HAECO Cabin Solutions. The acquisition will make ZIM the fourth largest aircraft seat vendor in the world. Read More
JOST Acquires Crenlo do Brasil
Hughes Hubbard represented JOST, a leading global manufacturer of modules and components for commercial vehicles, in its acquisition of Crenlo do Brasil Engenharia de Cabines from Angeles Equity Partners. Through the acquisition, JOST will gain access to the Brazilian off-highway and agricultural machinery market, one of the biggest agricultural markets worldwide. Read More
DASI’s 50% Sale to Marubeni Corporation
Hughes Hubbard represented leading global aircraft inventory support provider DASI in the sale of 50% of the outstanding ownership of DASI, LLC to Marubeni Corporation – a publicly traded Japanese company that is one of the world's largest trading and investment conglomerates – alongside related joint venture arrangements. The transaction saw minority investor Fortress Investment Group exit its investment in DASI. Read More
CF Acquisition VIII Merger with XBP
Hughes Hubbard represented CF Acquisition Corp. VIII, a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald, in its merger with XBP Europe, Inc., the European business of Exela Technologies Inc.
GDA Finances Majority Stake in Access Medical Laboratories
Hughes Hubbard advised Mexico's Grupo de Diagnóstico Aries in the financing of its acquisition of a majority stake in Florida-based Access Medical Laboratories.
Investigations & Sanctions
Hughes Hubbard’s award-winning and multilingual global investigations team includes a number of former government officials and is known for having the talent, experience and depth to represent clients in more than 90 countries. In 2023, our team continued representing confidential clients in front of just about every major regulating body, including obtaining three releases from World Bank sanctions, and performed diligent assessments on sanction risks for many of our deal clients.
Firm Named to Global Investigations Review’s GIR 30 List
Hughes Hubbard was named to Global Investigations Review’s GIR 30 list, a ranking of the best law firms for complex multijurisdictional corporate investigations. The ranking measures firms’ institutional strengths based on a range of factors, including a firm’s reach, its caseload and appearances before government authorities. “Hughes Hubbard is set apart from U.S. rivals by its thriving office in Paris and its work for the World Bank,” the publication wrote.
GIR highlighted our work on a variety of matters, including advising telecommunications company Ericsson in an independent review of the adequacy of the company's prior disclosures before and after it entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2019. It also discussed Hughes Hubbard’s representation of building material company Holcim Group, a Swiss multinational company that manufactures building materials, in its French subsidiary LaFarge SA’s guilty plea and agreement to pay $778 million to resolve allegations that it had collaborated to pay ISIS to continue operating a cement plant in Syria.
GIR also discussed Hughes Hubbard’s “impressive track record with multilateral development banks in 2022,” including monitorships of two Chinese state-owned companies mandated by the World Bank, and our work for cardiovascular research company Biotronik in reaching a $13 million settlement in which it admitted to violating the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to physicians to encourage them to use the company’s products. Read More
Enforcement Resolved for Major Chinese Company
Hughes Hubbard represented a major Chinese company in an investigation by the Asian Development Bank into alleged fraud on an ADB-financed project. Hughes Hubbard helped the company obtain a sanction shorter than the recommended minimum period of debarment and meet all post-sanction conditions for reinstatement as an ADB-eligible contractor.
FCPA Investigation for Manufacturing Company
Hughes Hubbard represented a publicly traded manufacturing company in its response to an internal report that said a subsidiary had made payments to customs officials in West Africa. The firm assisted with the company’s internal investigation, which included document review, interviews and a final report issued in January 2024.
Corporate & Aviation
In 2023, Hughes Hubbard's corporate attorneys racked up deals across industries and continents, including our work advising the FDIC following the failures of both Signature and Silicon Valley banks.
FDIC’s $50B+ Sale of Failed Bank Assets
HHR advised its longtime client Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the sale, via sealed bid process, of more than $50 billion in outstanding loans and other assets held by the Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank receiverships. These were two of the principal banks that failed in spring of 2023, setting off a temporary financial crisis of national significance.
Griffin Pushes Warehouse Facility to $2 Billion
Hughes Hubbard advised Griffin Global Asset Management, and borrowers Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, Ltd. and Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, LLC, on an amendment, extension and upsizing transaction for its senior secured financing facility. The deal – which doubled the initial facility that closed in 2021 – included the addition of banking partners Citibank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, as well as an additional commitment from Bank of Montreal. The upsizing of the facility is expected to provide Griffin with the final bridge before it accesses the capital markets. Read More
Taisei’s L.A., Washington, D.C. and Atlanta Property Deals
Hughes Hubbard represented Taisei Corporation – a Japanese construction, civil engineering and real estate development company – in acquiring a partial ownership interest in a building and redevelopment project in Los Angeles, as well as in acquiring a mixed-use office and retail building in Washington, D.C. and a mixed-use Class A office, retail and residential building in Atlanta.
Republic Airways’ Nearly $300M Aircraft Loan
Hughes Hubbard advised the regional airline Republic Airways on a loan agreement with Agência Especial de Financiamento Industrial S.A. – FINAME, a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), for up to 14 new Embraer 175LR aircraft, with a total lending commitment of up to $293 million.
Malian Cotton Provider’s Euro Loan
Hughes Hubbard guided a group of banks led by Banque de Développement du Mali in negotiation and documentation of a €240 million commodity financing facility for Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement des Textiles, the Malian state-controlled company that produces and exports Mali's cotton.
KeyBank Credit Facility for Avista
Hughes Hubbard represented KeyBank in a $50 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility for American gas and electric company Avista Corporation.
Firm Advises Griffin on $700M Unsecured Notes Offerings
Hughes Hubbard represented Griffin Global Asset Management on a senior unsecured notes offering and subsequent add-on totaling $700 million. Read More
€205 Million Note Financing for Affordable Housing
Hughes Hubbard advised financial institution Caisse Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire (CRRH-UEMOA), through the CRRH West Africa Impact Affordable Housing Trust, on a €205 million capital markets and loan financing with a guaranty from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Griffin and Bain in Rolls-Royce Deal
Hughes Hubbard represented Griffin Global Asset Management and Bain Capital Special Situations in the acquisition of 17 new technology Rolls-Royce widebody engines. The engines will be owned by a newly formed standalone entity and used as spares by the Rolls-Royce global customer base.
West Africa Cotton Ginnery’s International Financing
Hughes Hubbard's Paris team represented West African cotton company Société d'Égrenage de Coton (SODECO) in negotiating and documenting a €90 million pre-export financing.
Arajet’s Aircraft Leasing Deal with Bank of China
Hughes Hubbard represented Dominican airline Arajet in a leasing and pre-delivery payment financing deal with Bank of China Aviation for three new aircraft.
Financing for Ivorian Cocoa Exporter
Hughes Hubbard advised EBI SA, a French subsidiary of pan-African banking conglomerate Ecobank, in the negotiation of a commodity financing facility for cocoa producer Kineden Commodities.
Sucres & Denrées’ Pre-Financing Facility in Côte d'Ivoire’s Cocoa Sector
Hughes Hubbard assisted French commodities firm Sucres & Denrées Côte d'Ivoire SA in its pre-financing facility for cooperatives and local suppliers in the Ivory Coast’s cocoa sector.
Griffin’s Deal with Scandinavian Airlines
Hughes Hubbard advised Griffin Global Asset Management in a sale-leaseback transaction with Scandinavian Airlines, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in July 2022.
Bankruptcy & Restructuring
2023 saw Hughes Hubbard guide clients from industries as varied as auto parts, cryptocurrency and mining, and continued our work on the historic Lehman Brothers liquidation.
Gemini Navigates Fallout from “Crypto Winter”
Hughes Hubbard represented Gemini Trust Company – the cryptocurrency trading platform founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss – as it navigated the bankruptcy of Genesis Global Capital. Gemini is agent to over 232,000 of Gemini users that had lent nearly $1 billion of digital assets to Genesis before it declared bankruptcy in January of 2023. The firm piloted Gemini to a deal with Genesis and other creditors that results in the return of all assets in kind to Gemini’s users who have been denied access to their funds since November 2022. The digital assets had a value of approximately $2.18 billion when returned, representing a overall recovery rate of 232%. The team at Hughes Hubbard includes Anson B. Frelinghuysen, Dustin P. Smith, Erin E. Diers, Jeff Margolin, Carl Mills, Elizabeth A. Beitler, Libby Ro, and J. Scott Sanders II.
Stanadyne and Pure Power’s Section 363 Asset Sale
Hughes Hubbard advised Stanadyne, and its subsidiary Pure Power, on their section 363 asset sale to S-PPT Acquisition Company, an entity formed by Cerberus, which was the prepetition agent and secured lender. The sale was conducted in the context of Stanadyne’s and Pure Power’s Chapter 11 cases, in which Hughes Hubbard serves as the debtors’ lead Chapter 11 counsel. Read More
Continuing Distributions to Beneficiaries of Historic LBI Liquidation
Hughes Hubbard continues to represent Christopher K. Kiplok as Trust Administrator for the Lehman Brothers Inc. (LBI) Liquidating Trust on behalf of certain creditors who decided to become trust beneficiaries rather than “cashing out” at a higher rate of return as part of the historic conclusion of the LBI proceeding. This is the first grantor trust implemented in a liquidation proceeding.
As counsel to the Trust Administrator, Hughes Hubbard continues to administer LBI’s contingent long-horizon assets, including antitrust and securities class action claims arising from financial crisis era litigation. As a result of Hughes Hubbard’s efforts, the Trust Administrator made distributions of approximately $21 million to Trust beneficiaries in January 2023.
Chapter 11 Financial Restructuring for AgileThought
Hughes Hubbard was lead debtors' counsel to publicly traded digital services provider AgileThought and 30 of its affiliates in all aspects of their Chapter 11 proceedings.
MTI Subsidiaries’ Chapter 11
Two subsidiaries of Minerals Technologies Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in Texas to address and comprehensively resolve liabilities associated with talc. Hughes Hubbard represented MTI and its non-debtor affiliates in the cases.
Talc-Related Chapter 11 for Imerys Subsidiaries
Hughes Hubbard is representing Imerys S.A., a French multibillion-dollar mining company, in connection with the 2019 Chapter 11 filing by its three indirect subsidiaries to address their historic talc-related liabilities in the U.S.
Defense of AAKB
Hughes Hubbard represented AAKB Investments in its defense of a fraudulent transfer claim arising out of AAKB’s receipt of more than $7.8 million in merger proceeds following a go-private transaction of Constellation Healthcare Technologies.
Cross-Border Disputes & Arbitration
In 2023, Hughes Hubbard’s arbitration team notched successes for our clients in the U.S., at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and before the French Supreme Court.
Two Wins at the French Supreme Court
The French Court of Cassation – France’s highest level of appeal – upheld an investment award for Hughes Hubbard’s dual national client and, in a different case, did the same for a Saudi client of the firm. Read More
Investor’s $100M+ Arbitration
Hughes Hubbard is representing a French investor in a more than $100 million investment arbitration against the Dominican Republic brought under the France-Dominican Republic bilateral investment treaty. The dispute arises out of the abrupt termination of a 10-year concession agreement for the collection of solid waste for one of the largest Dominican municipalities.
UBS Securities in Two FINRA Arbitrations
Hughes Hubbard represented UBS Securities, a subsidiary of the Swiss bank UBS, in two Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitrations related to SVB Securities’ raid of UBS’s technology investment banking team. Read More
Arbitration Victory for Ecommerce Client
Hughes Hubbard won a complete victory for a large ecommerce retailer in a confidential emergency arbitration under American Arbitration Association rules. Following a two-day hearing, Hughes Hubbard obtained a full grant of emergency relief for the client, including a mandatory injunction with no bond requirement.
Successful Conclusion to Westwater Arbitration
Hughes Hubbard represented Westwater Resources in a successful arbitration against the Republic of Turkey before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. The case stemmed from Turkey's revocation of uranium mining licenses held by the company's Turkish subsidiary, Adur Madencilik.
Multi-Million Dollar Arbitration for Guinea
Hughes Hubbard represents the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in an appeal of an judgment of the District Court for the District of Columbia for the confirmation of a foreign arbitral award issued against it. The matter is pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
U.S. National’s Arbitration Victory
Hughes Hubbard client and U.S. national Edmond Khudyan obtained the annulment with costs of an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes arbitration award in favor of the Republic of Armenia.
“It's an excellent firm and the service they provide is outstanding.”
Chambers USA, 2023
Global Reach
For more than 50 years, Hughes Hubbard’s Paris office has been the hub of the firm’s work in Europe, representing some of the world’s largest companies in complex matters. Most of our Paris attorneys’ work is confidential, but all of the firm’s practices thrive in Europe and around the world. With victories in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, 2023 saw important, global successes for our clients.
Two Wins at the French Supreme Court
The French Court of Cassation – France’s highest level of appeal – upheld an investment award for Hughes Hubbard’s dual national client and, in a different case, did the same for a Saudi client of the firm. Read More
Enforcement Resolved for Major Chinese Company
Hughes Hubbard represented a major Chinese company in an investigation by the Asian Development Bank into alleged fraud on an ADB-financed project. Hughes Hubbard helped the company obtain a sanction shorter than the recommended minimum period of debarment and meet all post-sanction conditions for reinstatement as an ADB-eligible contractor.
Republic Airways’ Nearly $300M Aircraft Loan
Hughes Hubbard advised the regional airline Republic Airways on a loan agreement with Agência Especial de Financiamento Industrial S.A. – FINAME, a wholly owned subsidiary of Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social, for up to 14 new Embraer 175LR aircraft, with a total lending commitment of up to $293,250,000.
Multi-Million Dollar Arbitration for Guinea
Hughes Hubbard represents the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in an appeal of an judgment of the District Court for the District of Columbia for the confirmation of a foreign arbitral award issued against it. The matter is pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Griffin and Bain in Rolls-Royce Deal
Hughes Hubbard represented Griffin Global Asset Management and Bain Capital Special Situations in the acquisition of 17 new technology Rolls-Royce widebody engines. The engines will be owned by a newly formed standalone entity and used as spares by the Rolls-Royce global customer base.
Malian Cotton Provider’s Euro Loan
Hughes Hubbard guided a group of banks led by Banque de Développement du Mali in negotiation and documentation of a €240 million commodity financing facility for Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement des Textiles, the Malian state-controlled company that produces and exports Mali's cotton.
JOST Acquires Crenlo do Brasil
Hughes Hubbard represented JOST, a leading global manufacturer of modules and components for commercial vehicles, in its acquisition of Crenlo do Brasil Engenharia de Cabines from Angeles Equity Partners. Through the acquisition, JOST will gain access to the Brazilian off-highway and agricultural machinery market, one of the biggest agricultural markets worldwide. Read More
Taisei’s L.A., Washington, D.C. and Atlanta Property Deals
Hughes Hubbard represented Taisei Corporation – a Japanese construction, civil engineering and real estate development company – in acquiring a partial ownership interest in a building and redevelopment project in Los Angeles, as well as in acquiring a mixed-use office and retail building in Washington, D.C. and a mixed-use Class A office, retail and residential building in Atlanta.
€205 Million Note Financing for Affordable Housing
Hughes Hubbard advised financial institution Caisse Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire (CRRH-UEMOA), through the CRRH West Africa Impact Affordable Housing Trust, on a €205 million capital markets and loan financing with a guaranty from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Griffin Pushes Warehouse Facility to $2 Billion
Hughes Hubbard advised Griffin Global Asset Management, and borrowers Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, Ltd. and Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse, LLC, on an amendment, extension and upsizing transaction for its senior secured financing facility. The deal – which doubled the initial facility that closed in 2021 – included the addition of banking partners Citibank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, as well as an additional commitment from Bank of Montreal. The upsizing of the facility is expected to provide Griffin with the final bridge before it accesses the capital markets. Read More
Successful Conclusion to Westwater Arbitration
Hughes Hubbard represented Westwater Resources in a successful arbitration against the Republic of Turkey before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. The case stemmed from Turkey's revocation of uranium mining licenses held by the company's Turkish subsidiary, Adur Madencilik.
GDA Finances Majority Stake in Access Medical Laboratories
Hughes Hubbard advised Mexico's Grupo de Diagnóstico Aries in the financing of its acquisition of a majority stake in Florida-based Access Medical Laboratories.
Talc-Related Chapter 11 for Imerys Subsidiaries
Hughes Hubbard is representing Imerys S.A., a French multibillion-dollar mining company, in connection with the 2019 Chapter 11 filing by its three indirect subsidiaries to address their historic talc-related liabilities in the U.S.
West Africa Cotton Ginnery’s International Financing
Hughes Hubbard's Paris team represented West African cotton company Société d'Égrenage de Coton (SODECO) in negotiating and documenting a €90 million pre-export financing.
Firm Advises Griffin on $700M Unsecured Notes Offerings
Hughes Hubbard represented Griffin Global Asset Management on a senior unsecured notes offering and subsequent add-on totaling $700 million. Read More
Arajet’s Aircraft Leasing Deal with Bank of China
Hughes Hubbard represented Dominican airline Arajet in a leasing and pre-delivery payment financing deal with Bank of China Aviation for three new aircraft.
Financing for Ivorian Cocoa Exporter
Hughes Hubbard advised EBI SA, a French subsidiary of pan-African banking conglomerate Ecobank, in the negotiation of a commodity financing facility for cocoa producer Kineden Commodities.
Addem Capital in Complex Tax Restructuring
Hughes Hubbard represented Mexico-based private credit fund Addem Capital in a complex cross-border tax restructuring.
AURELIUS Acquires HAECO Cabin Solutions
Hughes Hubbard advised globally active alternative investment firm AURELIUS on the acquisition by its portfolio company, ZIM Aircraft Seating, of HAECO Cabin Solutions. The acquisition will make ZIM the fourth largest aircraft seat vendor in the world. Read More
SKY Aircraft Leasing Deal for Arajet
Hughes Hubbard represented Dominican airline Arajet in a lease transaction for two used Boeing aircraft with SKY Leasing.
U.S. National’s Arbitration Victory
Hughes Hubbard client and U.S. national Edmond Khudyan obtained the annulment with costs of an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes arbitration award in favor of the Republic of Armenia.
DASI’s 50% Sale to Marubeni Corporation
Hughes Hubbard represented leading global aircraft inventory support provider DASI in the sale of 50% of the outstanding ownership of DASI, LLC to Marubeni Corporation – a publicly traded Japanese company that is one of the world's largest trading and investment conglomerates – alongside related joint venture arrangements. The transaction saw minority investor Fortress Investment Group exit its investment in DASI. Read More
Sucres & Denrées’ Pre-Financing Facility in Côte d'Ivoire’s Cocoa Sector
Hughes Hubbard assisted French commodities firm Sucres & Denrées Côte d'Ivoire SA in its pre-financing facility for cooperatives and local suppliers in the Ivory Coast’s cocoa sector.
“HHR is set apart from U.S. rivals by its thriving office in Paris and its work for the World Bank.”
Global Investigations Review, GIR 30 2023
New Partners & Counsel
Last year, the firm added to our deep bench through the internal promotion and lateral hiring of an exceptional class of talented lawyers.
Brendan T. Franzoni
Partner
Brendan is a partner in Hughes Hubbard’s Litigation practice and Co-Chair of the Regulatory & Compliance practice group. His practice focuses primarily on regulatory and complex litigation matters. In the regulatory context, Brendan provides experience and expertise advising national and international products manufacturers and commercial retailers on foreign, federal, state, and NGO regulatory schemes and compliance governing a variety of consumer products, including alcohol and beverages, e-vapor products, cigars, cannabis and CBD. Brendan’s litigation practice concentrates on complex matters stemming from commercial disputes, product liability and toxic torts litigation.
Malik Havalic
Partner
Malik is a partner in Hughes Hubbard’s Litigation practice and a member of the firm’s Arbitration and Antitrust practice groups. Malik has worked on complex commercial disputes, with a focus on international, commercial and investment arbitration. He has been engaged in AAA/ICDR, ICSID, ICC, JAMS, and PCJ arbitrations, and represented both sovereign and investors parties in treaty arbitration. He has experience with the oil and gas, nuclear energy, aerospace and defense, life science, pharmaceuticals, financial services and technology, and news media industries, among others.
Yi-Chin Ho
Partner
Yi-Chin is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Hughes Hubbard in the Litigation practice group. She is Co-Chair of the China Practice, Chair of Asia Practice Development and serves on the firm's Executive Committee. For more than two decades, Yi-Chin’s practice has focused on representing Chinese companies based in the U.S. and abroad in complex high-profile and cross-border cases. She regularly advises CEOs and C-suite executives in high conflict crisis management situations using a keen level of creativity and nimble thinking. She uses multilingual skills and bridges cross-cultural gaps to tackle problems and find solutions for her clients. Due to the global nature of her clients' businesses, Yi-Chin is regularly called upon to remedy multi-jurisdictional conflict situations.
Javad Husain
Partner
Javad is a partner in the Corporate department of Hughes Hubbard. He represents corporate and financial clients as well as investors in connection with debt and equity offerings, mergers, de-SPACs, financings, restructurings, public company reporting and other corporate transactions and advises on corporate governance issues and securities laws and regulations. Javad also represents private equity and hedge fund advisers in connection with fund launches, separately managed accounts, investments and restructurings. He also advises managers on investment company laws and regulations as well as day-to-day issues related to fund operations.
Justin Cohen
Counsel
Justin is a counsel focusing on the tax aspects of domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs, aviation and equipment finance transactions, and bankruptcy and financial restructurings. He also has experience working on the tax aspects of cross-border investment structuring, private equity and hedge fund formation, corporate financings and securities offerings. Justin regularly counsels private foundations and other not-for-profit entities on a variety of compliance issues.
Gregory Farrell
Counsel
Gregory is counsel in Hughes Hubbard’s Litigation practice. His work focuses on complex commercial and bankruptcy litigation. He currently represents the Danish tax authority as plaintiff in efforts to recover proceeds of a $ 2 billion fraud. His past representations include Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries in their Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding and the trustee in the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) liquidations of Lehman Brothers Inc. and MF Global Inc., two of the largest bankruptcies in United States history. Gregory also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in voting rights, prisoners' rights and immigration cases.
Dev Ghose
Counsel
Dev is counsel in the Corporate department of Hughes Hubbard’s New York office. His work focuses on debt financing, primarily in private credit investing and leveraged finance. He has extensive experience in representing both lenders and borrowers in matters involving private credit funds, private equity sponsors, private equity portfolio companies, institutional investors, and public and private issuers, relating to acquisition financings and highly leveraged financings. Dev has worked with clients across various industries including hospitality, e-commerce, information technology, midstream pipelines, distribution and service, and manufacturing and food services.
“Hughes Hubbard & Reed can handle complex and sophisticated matters effectively and efficiently. They are always available and are quick to respond.”
Chambers Latin America, 2024
Pro Bono
In 2023, Hughes Hubbard struck major blows for sexual assault survivors, in addition to our work for low-income New Yorkers, immigration clients and more.
CIA’s Hand Forced in Overhaul of Process for Handling Sexual Assault
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency announced that it would overhaul its process for handling sexual assault and harassment complaints in its workforce, responding to allegations by Hughes Hubbard’s client, the first of over 60 women to come forward.
Groundbreaking Human Rights Victory Before the Inter‑American Court of Human Rights
Hughes Hubbard client Brisa De Angulo Losada obtained a sweeping victory before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The judgment is the culmination of over a decade of Hughes Hubbard and a broad legal team’s work before multiple legal bodies to hold Bolivia accountable for its actions. Read More
Green Card for Asylee from the Central African Republic
Hughes Hubbard obtained a Lawful Permanent Resident Card, also known as a Green Card, for a client escaping persecution in his native country, the Central African Republic.
Rental Subsidy Class Action Against NYC
Hughes Hubbard and The Legal Aid Society filed a class action lawsuit against the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) for its unlawful termination of rental vouchers for low-income New Yorkers. Read More
Green Card for LGBTQ Asylee
Hughes Hubbard obtained a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Card, also known as a Green Card, for a long-standing client.
Veteran’s 20‑Year Legal Battle Ends in Victory
Hughes Hubbard successfully represented a Marine Corps veteran in concluding her 20-year fight to upgrade her discharge from the military. Read More
Salvadoran Pro Bono Immigration Case
Hughes Hubbard, working on a pro bono basis with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, helped a Salvadoran refugee and her daughter receive asylum.
Veterinary Cannabis Society’s First Legal Newsletter
Hughes Hubbard assisted the Veterinary Cannabis Society with its first legal newsletter. The firm’s work entailed legal research on new and pending state laws that cover the use of cannabinoids in treating pets and drafting the newsletter. Read More
Accolades
This was another banner year for Hughes Hubbard, as the firm took home a number of major industry awards and was mentioned in many surveys and league tables.
Global Investigations Review 30
Hughes Hubbard was named to Global Investigations Review’s GIR 30 list, a ranking of the best law firms for complex multijurisdictional corporate investigations. Read More
Airfinance Journal’s Airline Restructuring Deal of the Year
Aeroméxico’s chapter 11 restructuring won Airline Restructuring Deal of the Year at the 2022 Airfinance Journal Awards, which were announced in June 2023. Read More
Latinvex’s 2023 Top Law Firms for Latin America
Hughes Hubbard was named to Latinvex’s 2023 list of “Latin America’s Top Law Firms.” Read More
Global Restructuring Review 30
Hughes Hubbard was recognized by Global Restructuring Review as one of the top 30 law firms for restructuring and insolvency matters around the world. Read More
Chambers Guides for USA, Global, Europe and Latin America
Chambers' USA, Global, Europe and Latin America guides recognized Hughes Hubbard with 45 attorney recommendations and 17 practice group rankings. Read More
Chambers High Net Worth
For the fourth year running, Hughes Hubbard was recognized as a leading law firm for Art and Cultural Property Law in the Chambers High Net Worth guide. Read More
Legal 500 Guides
Legal 500 recognized Hughes Hubbard with 71 attorney recommendations and 10 practice group rankings in its 2023 guides. Read More
Latin Lawyer 250
Hughes Hubbard was ranked a Highly Recommended firm in the Latin Lawyer 250 for 2024. Read More
AmLaw 2023 Pro Bono Survey
Hughes Hubbard was again ranked highly in The American Lawyer’s annual pro bono report card. Read More
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