Latham joins in-crowd on Safeway battle

Latham & Watkins has become the first US firm to win a place on the ever-growing Safeway takeover battle as UBS Warburg and Goldman Sachs prepare to finance J Sainsbury’s attempted acquisition.
James Chesterman and Christopher Hall are lead partners on the deal. Hall recently joined Latham from KPNQwest, where he was vice president and general counsel.
The appointment is a significant move for the firm in London. It has worked closely with both banks on high yield deals, but the Safeway bid means Latham will use its growing expertise on senior debt.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has also entered the fray after its long-term client Tesco made a statement this morning (Monday 22 January) declaring that it was considering making an offer for Safeway, subject to regulatory clearance.