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Tuesday 18th September 2007

Leading corporate firm SJ Berwin LLP advised established client Universal Music Group ("Universal") on the acquisition of V2 Records, a leading independent music company - home to such multi-million selling artists as the Stereophonics, Paul Weller and Isabelle Boulay.  The agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

The team advising Universal was led by corporate partner William Holder alongside EU/Competition relationship partners Stephen Kon (London office) and Alexander Rinne (Munich office). Sheridans and Clifford Chance advised V2 Music Group.

William Holder commented: "We are delighted to act for key client Universal on another significant acquisition in the ever evolving music industry. This deal again demonstrates that through the combined strength of our corporate and antitrust capability - coupled with specialist areas such as media, real estate, employment and tax - we consistently deliver the required full service offering to our clients."

Other recent advice for Universal includes the €1.63 billion acquisition of BMG Music Publishing in September 2006 and the recommended cash offer for The Sanctuary Group plc in May 2007.

For further information, please contact:

William Holder, Corporate Partner on 0207 111 2189 or by emailing william.holder@sjberwin.com

Aurelia Spivey, Business Development Manager on 020 7111 2060 or by emailing aurelia.spivey@sjberwin.com

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• With more than 200 corporate finance lawyers, the depth and breadth of expertise of our pan-European Corporate Finance Department is considerable.  We offer the complete range of corporate finance services, which extends to all aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A and buy-outs, private equity, equity capital markets, financial services and tax.
  
  
• SJ Berwin was created and thrives as a leading-edge legal services business, focusing on the European and international market place. Our clients are sophisticated buyers of legal services, principally entrepreneurial companies and financial institutions, whom we advise on a comprehensive range of services including Corporate, Commercial, Real Estate, Finance, Reconstruction & Insolvency, Financial Services, Litigation, Employment & Pensions, EU & Competition and Tax.
  
  
• The private equity team has won a number of recent awards including:
  
  - "Corporate Team of the Year - Mid Market" at The Lawyer Awards 2007,
  
  
  - “Fund Formation Team of the Year” 2006 at the Financial News Awards for Excellence in Private Equity Advisory Services,
  
  
  - "European Law Firm of the Year" 2004 -  2006 at the EVCA/Real Deals European Private Equity Awards,
  
  
  - "European Law Firm of the Year" (fund formation) 2001 - 2007 by subscribers to PrivateEquityOnline and Private Equity International
  
  
  - "Private Equity Law Firm of the Year" 2004 -  2007 at the European Venture Capital journal awards 2004
  
  
  - "LBO Firm of the Year" 2004 at the Finance and Law Awards in Paris
  
  
• On 1 June 2005, SJ Berwin became SJ Berwin LLP, a limited liability partnership.  www.sjberwin.com.  SJ Berwin LLP or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Turin.