Dechert and AZB & Partners were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers by value and volume, respectively, in the Asia-Pacific region during the first half (H1) of 2021. Dechert advised on 10 deals worth US$39.1bn, the highest among all the advisers. Meanwhile, AZB & Partners led in volume terms having advised on 30 deals worth US$20.1bn. A total of 3,536 M&A deals were announced in the region during H1 2021, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘Global and Asia-Pacific M&A Report Legal Adviser League Tables H1 2021’, reveals that deal value for the region increased by 4.6% from US$262bn in H1 2020 to US$274bn in H1 2021.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “There was a major jump in the value of deals advised by Dechert in H1 2021 compared to H1 2020, which helped it to make its way to the top spot by value. In fact, it was the only firm to cross US$30bn mark during H1 2021.

“Interestingly, AZB & Partners, despite advising on three times the number of deals advised by Dechert, had to settle for the third position by value due to its lack of involvement in any megadeal (≥US$10bn). Meanwhile, Dechert managed to advise on one megadeal.”

Allens occupied the second position in terms of value with 13 deals worth US$21.3bn followed by AZB & Partners. Ashurst occupied the fourth position by value with 19 deals worth US$17bn and Allen & Overy with 12 deals worth US$16bn.

Herbert Smith Freehills occupied the second position in terms of volume with 30 deals worth US$13.1bn followed by Khaitan & Co. with 22 deals worth US$3.9bn and Ashurst. DLA Piper occupied the fourth position by volume with 17 deals worth US$3.3bn.