Duane Morris & Selvam

Duane Morris & Selvam’s practice has developed capabilities in restructuring and acquisition financing. Practice leader Leon Yee and Ramiro Rodriguez, for example, have advised a marine company on a cross-border transaction (China, Malaysia, Singapore and Norway) that included not only acquisition finance so that a vessel could be bought at a discount but also negotiations on a leaseback structure so the vessel would not be on the client’s balance sheet.

Duane Morris & Selvam favours equity, securitisation and syndicated loans over debt in capital markets. Jamie Benson’s team has developed a relationship with the India government as it tries to sell its equity stakes in companies. For instance, Benson assisted the government divest shares worth Rs4 billion ($62.6 million) in Hindustan Copper. Gerard Hekker, a director, joined the firm in June 2017.

The practice at Duane Morris & Selvam “is highly responsive and provides clear and succinct advice that is tailored to my needs”, comments a client. Practice co-head Krishna Ramachandra, Jamie Benson and Mark See, who offers “clarity, swift response [and] good advice”, according to a client, acted for Duff & Phelps, an American valuation and corporate finance specialist, in AirMedia’s going private transaction.

The team at Duane Morris & Selvam has a reputation for being responsive. “We received prompt advice from the firm on our contracts,” says a client. “The responsiveness was certainly commendable.” Babita Ambekar advised Prathamesh Solarfarms, a joint venture between Suzlon Energy and Ostro Energy, to develop a 50 megawatt (MW) solar energy power project in southern India. Leon Yee continues to double as head of the banking and finance and energy groups, while Mark Wong joined as director in the corporate and energy practices in January 2017.

Krishna Ramachandra, the practice leader, and Jamie Benson of Duane Morris & Selvam assisted Dentsu, a Japanese advertising and public relations company, on the media rights agreement with the International Olympic Committee for the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games and 2020 and 2024 Summer Games Gerard Hekker, a director, joined the firm from Sidley Austin’s Singapore office in June 2017.