Cravath gifts Herbies early Xmas present with Ripplewood referral

Herbert Smith has scooped Ripplewood Holdings as a new client following a referral from US best friend Cravath Swaine & Moore.

The City firm was brought in by Ripplewood’s longstanding adviser Cravath to advise the leading US private equity house on the acquisition finance aspects of its purchase of Honsel International Technologies (HIT) from The Carlyle Group.

The deal, which was completed yesterday (30 November), is understood to be valued in excess of 600m euros.

Herbert Smith acquisition finance specialist Malcolm Hitching said the the deal was a significant boost for Hebert Smith and added that he would be disappointed if the firm did not get further work from Ripplewood in the future. "If they [Ripplewood] make a UK investment I’d hope that they would use us," he said.

Herbert Smith European alliance firms Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe also advised Ripplewood, on the German and Belgian M&A aspects of the deal respectively.

Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins and Millbank Tweed Hadley and McCloy acted for the Carlyle and Allen & Overy advised Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and CIBC, which provided the debt facilities to Ripplewood.