Featured Stories
Ropes & Gray Advised H.I.G. Capital on Strategic Growth Investment in HBK
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 27 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised H.I.G. Capital on Strategic Growth Investment in HBK
Ropes & Gray advised an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital in its strategic growth investment in HBK, one of the nation's leading integrated accounting, tax, audit, consulting, technology, and wealth management firms.
The investment establishes H.I.G. as HBK's first institutional partner.
The transaction was announced on Aug. 25.
H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $75 billion of capital under management.
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 27 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised H.I.G. Capital on Strategic Growth Investment in HBK
Ropes & Gray advised an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital in its strategic growth investment in HBK, one of the nation's leading integrated accounting, tax, audit, consulting, technology, and wealth management firms.
The investment establishes H.I.G. as HBK's first institutional partner.
The transaction was announced on Aug. 25.
H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $75 billion of capital under management.H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach.
The team was led by private equity partners Jessica Murray and Carl Marcellino and private equity associate Chaitanya Jayanti, and included asset management partners Keith MacLeod and Brynn Rail, tax partners Adam Greenwood and Benjamin Rogers, employment, executive compensation & employee benefits partners Stephanie Bruce, Matt Jones, and Sharon Remmer, IP transactions partner Jordan Altman, litigation & enforcement partner Jackie Grise, executive compensation & benefits counsel Rebecca Liu, and litigation & enforcement counsel Alison McLaughlin and Kurt Fowler.
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URL: H.I.G. Capital
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/08/ropes-gray-advised-hig-capital-on-strategic-growth-investment-in-hbk
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Holland & Hart Advises Datavault AI on Agreement to Acquire BankWyse
DENVER, Colorado, Aug. 27 -- Holland and Hart, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Holland & Hart Advises Datavault AI on Agreement to Acquire BankWyse
Holland & Hart represented Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT), an Artificial Intelligence Platform company providing data monetization, credentialing, digital engagement, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and spatial audio technologies, in connection with its definitive agreement to acquire BankWyse, a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI).
Datavault AI announced the agreement on August 19, 2026. The acquisition, which
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DENVER, Colorado, Aug. 27 -- Holland and Hart, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Holland & Hart Advises Datavault AI on Agreement to Acquire BankWyse
Holland & Hart represented Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT), an Artificial Intelligence Platform company providing data monetization, credentialing, digital engagement, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and spatial audio technologies, in connection with its definitive agreement to acquire BankWyse, a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI).
Datavault AI announced the agreement on August 19, 2026. The acquisition, whichremains subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, would add qualified digital asset custody and commercial banking capabilities to Datavault AI's platform--a significant step in building out an integrated ecosystem spanning the valuation, tokenization, custody, and exchange of data and real-world assets. The transaction also underscores Wyoming's role as a leading jurisdiction for digital asset innovation through its SPDI framework.
As Wyoming local and bank regulatory counsel, the Holland & Hart team advised on the Wyoming regulatory and corporate aspects of the transaction, including matters relating to Wyoming's SPDI framework, Wyoming M+A law, and the organization of the acquisition subsidiary.
For more information, please see Datavault AI's press release (https://ir.datavaultsite.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/490/datavault-ai-agrees-to-acquire-bankwyse-subject-to-regulatory-approval-and-customary-closing-conditions).
The Holland & Hart team included Timothy Crisp, Brad Flynt, and paralegal Linda Concannon.
Holland & Hart's Corporate attorneys have extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and advising clients at all stages of development, from start-ups to large public companies, in a diverse range of industries.
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URL: Datavault AI Inc.
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Original text here: https://www.hollandhart.com/holland-hart-advises-datavault-ai-on-agreement-to-acquire-bankwyse
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Dentons Advises Finance Parties on TDB Global Syndicated Financing
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- Dentons, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Dentons advises finance parties on TDB global syndicated financing
London--Dentons has advised finance parties on a US$800 million syndicated term loan facility for the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), one of Africa's leading regional multilateral development banks.
The financing supports TDB's general corporate and trade finance activities across its member states and included an accordion feature allowing total commitments to be increased to up to US$800 million from the original US$700 million facility amount.
Mizuho
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- Dentons, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Dentons advises finance parties on TDB global syndicated financing
London--Dentons has advised finance parties on a US$800 million syndicated term loan facility for the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), one of Africa's leading regional multilateral development banks.
The financing supports TDB's general corporate and trade finance activities across its member states and included an accordion feature allowing total commitments to be increased to up to US$800 million from the original US$700 million facility amount.
MizuhoBank, Ltd. and Standard Bank were the Global Coordinators, while Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft acted as Facility Agent. Bookrunners and Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers (BIMLAs) included: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB); Citibank; Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft; Emirates NBD; FirstRand Bank Limited (London Branch) acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division; Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited London Branch (ICBC); Mashreqbank psc; Mizuho Bank, Ltd.; MUFG Bank, Ltd.; SMBC Bank International plc; Standard Chartered Bank and Standard Bank.
Dentons advised all finance parties on the initial facility agreement and the subsequent syndication and accordion increase process, implemented through a Global Transfer Certificate and Accordion Increase Confirmation. The syndication attracted participation from a broad group of international banks and institutional investors, further diversifying the lender base.
Joe Byron Evans, partner at Dentons, said: "We are delighted to have advised the BIMLAs and the other finance parties on this significant financing for TDB. Supporting the transaction from the initial financing through the global syndication and accordion process enabled us to help deliver a successful outcome for a broad international lender group backing one of Africa's leading regional MDBs. The transaction demonstrates Dentons' experience advising lenders on complex cross-border syndicated financings."
The Dentons team was led by partners Joe Byron Evans and James Ingham, supported by associate William Anthem and paralegal Harry Taylor. The Dentons Mauritius team, led by Devalingum Gopalla, advised on local law aspects.
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About Dentons
Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. For more information visit dentons.com
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Original text here: https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/news-events-and-awards/news/2026/august/dentons-advises-finance-parties-on-tdb-global-syndicated-financing
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Dentons Advises Doblinger Group on Acquisition of a Majority Stake in Ludwig Beck AG and Subsequent Mandatory Tender and Delisting Offer
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- Dentons, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Dentons advises Doblinger Group on acquisition of a majority stake in Ludwig Beck AG and subsequent mandatory tender and delisting offer
Frankfurt/Dusseldorf--Global law firm Dentons has advised the Doblinger Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in the Munich heritage company Ludwig Beck am Rathauseck - Textilhaus Feldmeier Aktiengesellschaft (Ludwig Beck AG) as well as on the subsequent public mandatory tender and delisting offer to the shareholders of Ludwig Beck AG.
Doblinger Group subsidiary Bayerische
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- Dentons, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Dentons advises Doblinger Group on acquisition of a majority stake in Ludwig Beck AG and subsequent mandatory tender and delisting offer
Frankfurt/Dusseldorf--Global law firm Dentons has advised the Doblinger Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in the Munich heritage company Ludwig Beck am Rathauseck - Textilhaus Feldmeier Aktiengesellschaft (Ludwig Beck AG) as well as on the subsequent public mandatory tender and delisting offer to the shareholders of Ludwig Beck AG.
Doblinger Group subsidiary BayerischeGewerbebau AG acquired the majority stake following antitrust approval of the transaction in June 2026. Subsequently, in July 2026, Bayerische Gewerbebau AG submitted a mandatory tender and delisting offer to the shareholders of Ludwig Beck AG in accordance with the Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpUG) and the Stock Exchange Act (BorsG) to acquire all shares of Ludwig Beck AG for Euros23.16 per share. The acceptance period for the offer ended on August 18, 2026.
The shares of Ludwig Beck AG had previously been traded on the Regulated Market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as well as on the Regulated Market of the Munich Stock Exchange. As part of the mandatory delisting tender offer, the admission of the shares to trading on the Regulated Market was revoked at the request of Ludwig Beck AG.
Ludwig Beck AG is a stock corporation headquartered in Munich with indirect real estate holdings in Munich and Hanover. This long-established retail company has a history spanning more than 150 years and operates its flagship store, "Kaufhaus der Sinne," on Munich's Marienplatz, offering a diverse selection of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products.
The Doblinger Group has been growing steadily for over five decades and is now one of the leading players in the German residential and commercial real estate market. The group employs approximately 650 people in the real estate sector and generates annual revenue of approximately Euros600 million.
A Dentons team led by Frankfurt partner Dr. Robert Weber provided comprehensive legal advice to the Doblinger Group on the corporate and M&A, capital markets, antitrust, and labor law aspects of the majority acquisition and the subsequent mandatory tender and delisting offer.
Advisors:
Dentons (Frankfurt/Dusseldorf): Dr. Robert Weber (Partner, lead, Frankfurt), Sebastian Klingen (Partner, Dusseldorf), Greta Gauch (Counsel, Frankfurt), Dr. Milan Schafer (Associate, Frankfurt, all Corporate/M&A), Dr. Florian Wiesner (Partner, Dusseldorf), Dr. Arne Karsten (Counsel, Dusseldorf, both Competition and Antitrust), Dr. Wiebke Schulz (Partner, Frankfurt, Employment and Labor)
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About Dentons
Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. For more information visit dentons.com
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URL: Doblinger Group
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Original text here: https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/news-events-and-awards/news/2026/august/dentons-advises-doblinger-group
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Cooley Advised Virtue AI on Acquisition by Fortinet
PALO ALTO, California, Aug. 27 -- Cooley, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Cooley Advised Virtue AI on Acquisition by Fortinet
Cooley advised Virtue AI, an innovator in AI runtime protection, automated AI validation, and security for autonomous AI systems, on its acquisition by Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security.
The transaction was announced publicly in this press release (https://www.fortinet.com/corporate/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/2026/fortinet-advances-continuous-ai-protection-with-the-acquisition-of-virtue-ai).
Kate
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PALO ALTO, California, Aug. 27 -- Cooley, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Cooley Advised Virtue AI on Acquisition by Fortinet
Cooley advised Virtue AI, an innovator in AI runtime protection, automated AI validation, and security for autonomous AI systems, on its acquisition by Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security.
The transaction was announced publicly in this press release (https://www.fortinet.com/corporate/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/2026/fortinet-advances-continuous-ai-protection-with-the-acquisition-of-virtue-ai).
KateNichols, Erin Kirchner, Caitlin Courtney, and Cameron Gyorffy led the Cooley team advising Virtue AI.
Timothy Shapiro, Todd Gluth, Austin Holt, Ben Horwitz, Sam Thompson, Alice Wu, David Dalton, Jacob Lahana, Sam Dodson, and Breanna Qin provided invaluable support.
Cooley previously advised Virtue AI on its Series Seed and Series A financing rounds and most recently represented the company in its acqui-hire by Meta.
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About Cooley LLP
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation.
Cooley has nearly 1,400 lawyers across 19 offices in the United States, Asia and Europe, and a total workforce of more than 3,000 people.
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URL: Virtue AI
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Original text here: https://www.cooley.com/news/coverage/2026/2026-08-26-cooley-advised-virtue-ai-on-acquisition-by-fortinet
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Clark Hill: DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee for H-1B Cap Petitions
BIRMINGHAM, Michigan, Aug. 27 -- Clark Hill, a law firm, issued the following legal update:
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DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee for H-1B Cap Petitions
Author: Lisa Atkins
On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would impose a new $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those filed under the advanced degree exemption. The proposal would effectively codify and make permanent the Trump administration's earlier $100,000 H-1B fee initiative, which was imposed by presidential proclamation in 2025 but subsequently
... Show Full Article
BIRMINGHAM, Michigan, Aug. 27 -- Clark Hill, a law firm, issued the following legal update:
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DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee for H-1B Cap Petitions
Author: Lisa Atkins
On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would impose a new $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those filed under the advanced degree exemption. The proposal would effectively codify and make permanent the Trump administration's earlier $100,000 H-1B fee initiative, which was imposed by presidential proclamation in 2025 but subsequentlyblocked by a federal district court. The proposed fee would be payable at the time of filing and would be in addition to existing H-1B filing fees and surcharges. DHS estimates the fee would generate approximately $8.8 billion annually.
Unlike prior USCIS fee increases, DHS proposes using revenue from H-1B cap filings to fund activities across multiple federal agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Labor (DOL). The proposal would allocate the projected revenue as follows: approximately $3.0 billion to USCIS, $3.0 billion to EOIR, $1.2 billion to DOL, $1.05 billion to ICE, with smaller allocations to DOS and CBP. DHS states that these funds would support activities ranging from adjudications, fraud detection, and vetting to immigration court operations, labor certification programs, and visa-processing functions.
This fee funding structure represents a departure from USCIS's historical fee-setting approach, where USCIS fees have traditionally been tied to the costs of adjudicating immigration benefits. Here, DHS is proposing shifting broader immigration-system costs to employers filing H-1B cap petitions based on its determination that such employers are better positioned to absorb the additional expense than other immigration benefit requestors.
The NPRM provides a 30-day public comment period. The proposal arises amongst the backdrop of ongoing litigation over the administration's previous $100,000 H-1B fee. In June 2026, a federal judge ruled that the fee was unlawful and barred the government from collecting it. The administration has appealed that decision, and further judicial review remains pending. As a result, legal challenges to DHS's authority to impose a fee of this magnitude are widely expected if the rule is finalized.
If finalized, the proposal would represent a dramatic increase in the cost of sponsoring new H-1B workers in the annual cap (previous government costs were between $2,000-$6,000 depending on employer size and whether expedited processing was requested). As such, the additional fee could significantly affect employer demand for H-1Bs and workforce planning.
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This publication is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed herein represent those of the individual author(s) only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC or Clark Hill Solicitors LLP. Although we attempt to ensure that postings on our website are complete, accurate, and up to date, we assume no responsibility for their completeness, accuracy, or timeliness.
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Original text here: https://www.clarkhill.com/news-events/news/dhs-proposes-103k-h-1b-fee-cap-subject-petitions/
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
A&O Shearman Advises AUTODOC on the Acquisition of a Minority Stake in Apollo
LONDON, England, Aug. 27 -- A and O Shearman, a law firm, issued the following news:
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A&O Shearman advises AUTODOC on the acquisition of a minority stake in Apollo
A&O Shearman has advised Autodoc Holding SE, Europe's leading online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories, on the successful acquisition of the minority stake in Autodoc SE held by Apollo funds.
The purchase was financed by the placement of a term loan B in the amount of EUR530 million and marks the conclusion of a successful partnership. In April 2024, the Apollo funds acquired a minority stake in AUTODOC at
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Aug. 27 -- A and O Shearman, a law firm, issued the following news:
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A&O Shearman advises AUTODOC on the acquisition of a minority stake in Apollo
A&O Shearman has advised Autodoc Holding SE, Europe's leading online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories, on the successful acquisition of the minority stake in Autodoc SE held by Apollo funds.
The purchase was financed by the placement of a term loan B in the amount of EUR530 million and marks the conclusion of a successful partnership. In April 2024, the Apollo funds acquired a minority stake in AUTODOC atan equity valuation of EUR2.3bn. From the outset, the collaboration was designed to be time-limited and targeted: As an institutional partner, Apollo supported AUTODOC with strategic advice to expand access to institutional capital markets and prepare the company for a possible future IPO.
The partnership with Apollo has brought AUTODOC significant progress in the areas of corporate governance, reporting and operational scalability. With the completion of the transaction, the three founders--Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner and Vitalij Kungel--now indirectly hold 100 percent of the shares in Autodoc SE again through their investment company AutoTech GmbH & Co. KG.
AUTODOC, the leading digital pure-play platform for automotive spare parts in Europe, was founded in Berlin in 2008 by Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner, and Vitalij Kungel. Since November 2022, the company has been operating as the European company Autodoc SE. As of December 31, 2025, AUTODOC's product range comprised around 7.8 million item numbers from around 2,700 brand manufacturers, including parts for cars, trucks and motorcycles, tires and complementary products such as tools, accessories, oils, fluids and consumables.
In 2025, AUTODOC generated sales of EUR1.8bn (2024: EUR 1.6bn). AUTODOC operates online shops in 27 European countries and employs more than 5,500 people at 13 locations in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Apollo is a global asset manager that invests capital in alternative asset classes such as private equity, private credit, infrastructure, and real estate for institutional and private investors. In addition to asset management, Apollo offers financing solutions to companies worldwide and is also active in the field of retirement provision and annuity products through its subsidiary Athene.
The core team of A&O Shearman was led by partner Dr. Christian Eichner and counsel Kyrill Chilevych and also included senior associate Eva Hohmann and associates Dr. Christina Vossen and Lasse Ostholt (all corporate/M&A, Dusseldorf). In addition, the team included partners Hans Diekmann (corporate/M&A, Dusseldorf), Walter Uebelhoer (banking, Munich), Knut Sauer (capital markets, Frankfurt), Sebastian Schulz (employment and benefits, Frankfurt), counsel Nadine Kamper (capital markets, Frankfurt), Senior Associate Nils Holzgrefe (banking, Munich) as well as associates Nico Theiss (capital markets, Frankfurt) and Thomas Hohe (employment and benefits, Frankfurt).
The financing of the transaction was also advised by A&O Shearman. The financing team was led by Dr. Walter Uebelhoer (Munich) and Xinni Lim (London) and included partners Neil Sinha (debt finance, London), senior associates Julia Brauer and Nils Holzgrefe as well as associates Jack Mellet and Melvin Loo (London).
The transaction was legally supported in-house by Maximilian Freiherr von Schorlemer, chief legal officer of AUTODOC, with regard to all legally relevant aspects.
A&O Shearman had already advised AUTODOC in 2024 in connection with the establishment of the cooperation with Apollo and in 2025 on the preparation of an IPO.
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URL: Autodoc Holding
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Original text here: https://www.aoshearman.com/en/news/ao-shearman-advises-autodoc-on-the-acquisition-of-a-minority-stake-in-apollo
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
