GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, has revealed its league tables for top 10 legal advisers by value and volume in retail sector for Q1 2021 in its report, ‘Global and Retail M&A Review & Legal Adviser League tables Q1 2021’.
According to GlobalData’s M&A report, a total of 494 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals were announced in the sector during Q1 2021, while deal value for the sector decreased by 20.5% from $44bn in Q1 2020 to $35bn in Q1 2021.
Top Advisers by Value and Volume
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Willkie Farr & Gallagher emerged as the top M&A legal advisers in the retail sector for Q1 2021 by value and volume, respectively.
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison advised on five deals worth $10.7bn, which was the highest value among all the advisers. Meanwhile, Willkie Farr & Gallagher led the volume chart, having advised on seven deals worth $3.7bn.
GlobalData lead analyst Aurojyoti Bose said: “Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison was the only adviser that managed to cross $10bn mark. The firm’s involvement in four billion-dollar deals helped it top the list by value.
“On the other hand, Willkie Farr & Gallagher led by volume but did not advise on any billion-dollar deal, thereby lagging behind in terms of value. While the average size of deals advised by Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison stood at $2.1bn, it was just $530m for Willkie Farr & Gallagher.”
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By GlobalDataSimpson Thacher & Bartlett occupied the second position in terms of value with two deals worth $8.3bn, followed by Ropes & Gray with four deals worth $7.3bn. Willkie Farr & Gallagher occupied the fourth position by value.
Latham & Watkins occupied the second position by volume with six deals worth $2.8bn. Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison occupied the third position by volume, followed by Kirkland & Ellis with five deals worth $765m.
GlobalData’s league tables are based on the real-time tracking of thousands of company websites, advisory firm websites and other reliable sources available on the secondary domain. A dedicated team of analysts monitors all these sources to gather in-depth details for each deal, including adviser names.
To ensure further robustness to the data, the company also seeks submissions from leading advisers, through adviser submission forms on GlobalData’s website.