Clifford Chance usurps Linklaters in M&A league table

Clifford Chance usurps Linklaters in M&A league table

Clifford Chance has edged ahead of magic circle rival Linklaters in advising on world-wide mergers and acquisitions in the first quarter of 2003, new figures have shown.

Research by Thomson Financial put Clifford Chance second on the global table of legal advisers, with 62 deals completed worth $32.7 billion.

Linklaters was third with 47 deals worth $29.8 billion.

In the first quarter of 2002, the firm topped the table with 67 deals valued at $56.6 billion.

US firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett was top in 2003, with 19 deals worth $35.8 billion.

There were five other City firms in the top 25: at ninth, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (33 deals, $20.9 billion); Norton Rose was tenth (nine deals, $17 billion); Allen & Overy down at 21st (32 deals, $8.3 billion); 22nd was Ashurst Morris Crisp (21 deals, $8.3 billion); and Herbert Smith together with German ally Gleiss Lutz a place further down (20 deals, $7.6 billion).