Linklaters tops M&A league tables in Europe

City giant Linklaters & Alliance dominates mergers and acquisitions work in Europe, but US firms have maintained their lead over UK rivals worldwide, according to a survey published last week.Linklaters secured its top rating in the European market by handling 82 completed deals worth an estimated 242 billion with a European acquirer or target in the first six months of the year.

Last year the firm was ranked third.

Nearest UK rivals were Clifford Chance, which completed 89 deals worth 231 billion, and Freshfields which completed 71 deals worth 197 billion.However, US firms showed strongly.

Sherman & Sterling rocketed up to second from 15th last year, completing 32 deals worth 212 billion.

Eleven US law firms appeared in the top 20 for European completed deals.A spokeswoman for Thompson Financial Securities Data, which prepared the tables, said the Vodafone AirTouch bid for Mannesman 'made all the difference' to the tables, ensuring a head start for the top firms.Globally, US firms continued to dominate a buoyant market.

Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom saw a five-fold increase in work - dealing with 77 completed deals worth 343 billion - which raised its worldwide ranking from 15th last year to first in the first half of the year.Clifford Chance (sixth) handled 103 deals worldwide worth 259 billion, Linklaters & Alliance (seventh) completed 104 deals worth 253 billion and Freshfields (ninth) handled 79 deals worth 217 billion.

Sue Allen