Noerr and Stikeman Elliott were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) financial/legal advisers in metals & mining sector for Q1 2021 by value and volume, respectively. Noerr advised on two deals worth US$1.7bn, which was the highest value among all the advisers. Meanwhile, Stikeman Elliott led in volume terms having advised on six deals worth US$969m. A total of 374 M&A deals were announced in the sector during Q1 2021, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s report, ‘Global and Metals & Mining M&A Report Legal Adviser League Tables Q1 2021’, deal value for the sector increased by 8.3% from US$12bn in Q1 2020 to US$13bn in Q1 2021.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “In terms of deal volume, Stikeman Elliott emerged as the top advisor but lost the top position by value and had to settle for the fourth position in terms of value due involvement in relatively low value transactions.

“Meanwhile, Noerr advised on fewer number of deals relatively but managed to top the list by value due to involvement in a billion-dollar deal.”

Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Clifford Chance jointly occupied the second position in terms of value with one deal each worth US$1.7bn followed by Stikeman Elliott.

Cassels Brock & Blackwell occupied the second position by volume with five deals worth US$343m followed by Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg with three deals worth US$624m. Noerr occupied the fourth position by volume.