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McDermott Will & Emery

Macs toasts Pernod's €5bn Swedish vodka deal

Author: Charlotte Edmond

Published: 04/04/2008 12:51

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Macfarlanes has bagged a starring role alongside Debevoise & Plimpton and a raft of international firms on Pernod Ricard’s €5.6bn (£4.4bn) acquisition of Swedish vodka maker Vin & Spirit.

Macfarlanes corporate partner Tim Lewis took the lead for Pernod in the UK on the long-running deal, which sees Pernod buying the owner of the Absolut vodka brand from the Kingdom of Sweden.

New York firm Debevoise led for the drinks giant in the US and Paris, fielding a team under Manhattan-based M&A co-chair Paul Bird and litigation partner Gary Kubek.

The drinks company also instructed Gide Loyrette Nouel in Paris and Brussels with competition partners Antoine Choffel and Stéphane Hautbourg advising. Meanwhile, local firm Gernandt & Danielsson advised in Sweden.

The firms worked closely with Pernod’s in-house legal team, which was led by general counsel and vice president Ian Fitzsimons.

Meanwhile Swedish leader Vinge took the lead role for the Kingdom of Sweden, putting together a team under corporate partners Carl Gustaf De Geer and Bertil Villard. They were assisted in the US by Davis Polk & Wardwell corporate partner Phillip Mills in New York.

Vin & Spirit also took separate advice from Dechert and McDermott Will & Emery, with Dechert London corporate partner Douglas Getter advising on corporate and competition matters, while McDermott was instructed on IP and regulatory issues.

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