- www.fonda.co.uk ECI Partners: a European connection Burges Salmon advised ECI Partners on its £61 million acquisition of Clinisys, a leading pan-European supplier of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to the healthcare market. Clinisys has been specialising in the development and deployment of systems to the healthcare market for many years, while ECI is one of the longest-established private equity groups in the UK. Burges Salmon has worked with ECI across a number of different sectors over the years. For this project, we collaborated with our European network of associate firms to deliver high quality advice within a tight timescale, and across various jurisdictions (including Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Germany). United Arab Emirates Government: branching out The satellite communications industry is booming. Burges Salmon is a leading adviser in this area, having been appointed by the United Arabs Emirates Government to advise on an AED5 billion plus procurement of a dual satellite communications system in the Middle East. Burges Salmon previously worked with EADS Astrium on the UK MoD’s £3.5 billion Skynet 5 military satellite contract, and the experience and plaudits gained from this project were key to our latest win. With the industry now generating revenue in the region of US$80 billion annually, this is an exciting time for Burges Salmon to be involved in this growing, global business. Burges Salmon In Review 2007 11 10 Burges Salmon In Review 2007 Global reach No matter where our clients’business interests lie, we can provide the right legal advice through our relationships with selected foreign law firms. We forge links on an international scale to provide our clients with all the resources and advice they might need in foreign jurisdictions. Foreign connections Key jurisdictions include the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Switzerland, Scotland and Ireland. And increasingly, we are making new contacts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Far East. Local knowledge and best fit When our clients need international legal advice, or access to lawyers overseas, we draw on our well-established links with independent firms in the relevant jurisdiction to provide the necessary expertise. Because we are not tied to one particular firm, we are able to select the best option to meet our clients’needs. Friends around the world Burges Salmon has developed a series of ‘better friends’partnerships with firms around the world who share a similar ethos. This allows us to pool knowledge and deliver the best quality, trusted advice to our clients. For example, our ties with American firm Thompson Hine have proved invaluable, with clients making use of their offices in Ohio, New York City, Atlanta and Washington DC. Thermphos: a cross border deal Burges Salmon advised Thermphos on its purchase of Solutia’s Dequest water treatment phosphonates business, for £67 million, which sees Thermphos take over employees and operations in over a dozen countries. Dequest is a world market leader in phosphonates, which are used as additives in water processing, including industrial water treatment, household and industrial detergents, industrial cleaners and various industrial processes such as desalination. As part of the deal, Solutia will continue to produce Dequest products for Thermphos at the main production facility in Newport, Wales. The deal involved lawyers in five jurisdictions and sees Thermphos taking over operations in the USA, Brazil, Belgium, China, Japan and Singapore, as well as the UK. The Burges Salmon team coordinated the legal advice provided across these countries. ‘As with every aspect of our strategy, our approach is client-led.’ Chris Seaton Burges Salmon A real alternative In Review 2007