The $3 billion financing for the privatisation of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.com Ltd was completed with the assistance of six law firms.

Data centre solution provider Digital Realty Trust has entered into a joint venture with Savvis, a cloud infrastructure and IT solutions company, to provide next generation, large co-location and managed cloud services to Hong Kong. This is expected to make the city a more attractive destination for cloud services.

Baker & McKenzie has advised Chinese coal producer Yanzhou Coal Mining Co (Yanzhou Coal) on its notes issuance worth $1 billion.

Alibaba Group’s plan to repurchase up to half of Yahoo Inc’s 40 percent stake in the company for $7.1 billion has moved the e-commerce leader closer to a public listing. The deal also marks the largest ever M&A transaction between a U.S. and Chinese company.

Paul Hastings has hired former Shanghai-based O’Melveny & Myers counsel Sean Tai as a partner at its Shanghai office. Admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England and Wales, Tai is a corporate specialist with experience in cross border M&As, private equity investments, real estate investments, debt financings and securities law compliance in Greater China.

U.S. law firm Squire Sanders has bolstered its presence in Asia with the addition of four new partners to its Greater China team. Corporate specialists Jenny Liu and Xudong Ni have joined the firm’s offices in Beijing and Shanghai, while corporate partner Sin Kiu Ng and intellectual property expert Kam Law have moved to the Hong Kong branch.

U.S. firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton has recruited M&A specialist Ling Huang from rival firm Shearman & Sterling as a partner at its Beijing office.

U.S. law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges and King & Wood Mallesons have represented U.S. company CODA Holdings and China’s Great Wall Motor Company on their agreement to co-develop, build and sell electric vehicles (EVs) for the North American, Chinese and European auto markets.

Edwards Wildman Palmer (in Hong Kong in association with Lister Lo Lui Choy), Latham & Watkins, Commerce & Finance Law Offices and Conyers Dill & Pearman have advised Sinopec Kantons Holdings (Sinopec Kantons) on its rights issue and acquisition of joint venture interests.

UK firm Eversheds has represented real estate developer New World China Land (NWCL) in the largest ever dim sum bond offering by a corporation, which raised 4.3 billion yuan ($682 million).