Orrick takes on $9bn State of California municipal finance deal

The firm acted jointly with Los Angeles-based Curls Brown & Duran on the second tranche of the two-part deal, which involved a $3.5bn (£2.21bn) note programme. The notes were issued to fund California's cash requirements for the 2002-03 fiscal year, including the repayment of $7.5bn (£4.73bn) of short-term warrants sold last June, which will mature between now and January 2003.

The deal was led by San Francisco partner Robert Feyer, with support from special counsel Bill Donovan and tax partner Perry Israel.

Feyer said the timing was critical, because the short-term warrants issued in June matured only a month after the budget had been approved. As the state was prevented from issuing further notes until the budget was approved, it had one month to complete the deal.

California had experienced high levels of debt because, during the 2001 energy crisis, the state used over $6bn (£3.78bn) of then surplus cash to buy electricity from generating companies.