Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal adviser based on deal value in Q1 2020, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. The law firm advised on three deals worth US$44bn.

According to GlobalData, which tracks all M&A, private equity/venture capital and asset transaction activity around the world, confirmed that Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom was second having advised on deals worth US$37.9bn.

Aurojyoti Bose, Financial Deals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “In terms of deal value, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer emerged as the top legal adviser in Q1 2020, despite advising on fewer deals compared to its peers. The company advised on big ticket deals such as US$33.4bn Aon – Willis Towers Watson merger deal.”

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer also occupied fourth position in GlobalData’s recently released global league table of top 20 M&A legal advisers.

CMS is the top M&A legal adviser based on deal volume in Q1 2020 having advised on 17 deals worth US$469.3m. Allen & Overy was second with 11 transactions worth US$16.5bn.

Aurojyoti Bose comments: “CMS, despite occupying the top spot in terms of deal volume, lagged behind many of its peers in terms of value by a huge margin. It even failed to find a place in the top ten list by value. Akin to CMS, the majority of the top ten firms by deal volume also lagged behind in terms of value with only Kirkland & Ellis and Allen & Overy able to make it to the list of top ten advisors by value.”