Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has been ranked among the top 10 law firms worldwide in the Thomson Reuters Q4 2016 Global M&A League Tables, being the only non-US headquartered firm in the top 10 by deal value.
Herbert Smith Freehills has also been ranked 2nd in the UK, having advised on 55 transactions with total value of US$ 134.5 billion. The firm remains strong in Europe, where is ranked 10th, and Australia, where the firm maintains its second position.
In 2016, Herbert Smith Freehills advised on 200 deals with total value of US$ 316.2 billion. During the last 12 months, the firm has acted on some of the most significant deals in the market including advising:
- Sky on a £18.5 billion recommended takeover offer from Twenty-First Century Fox, which was the second largest public M&A deal to be announced in the UK market in 2016.
- The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers on the Post-Offer Undertakings given by Softbank Group Corp on its recommended £24 billion takeover of ARM Holdings.
- Newmont Mining Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation on one of the world’s largest mining deals in 2016, the disposal of interests in Batu Hijau copper and gold mine in Indonesia. The transaction, including other associated disposals, was valued at around US$2.6 billion in total.
- Silk Road Fund on its first oil & gas M&A transaction - the acquisition of an approx. 9.9% stake in Russia's key new LNG project from Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, for c.€1.1 billion.
- The Lonsdale Consortium on its A$9.7 billion acquisition of Port of Melbourne.
- Brookfield Partners on its A$9 billion joint takeover of Asciano.
In Bloomberg's Global M&A League Tables, Herbert Smith Freehills has been placed #6 globally in the principals' list, being #1 for non-UK headquartered firm. This list takes into account only the law firms that performed work for the principals of the transactions: the corporations that are either buying a target or selling to a buyer.
Commenting on the results, global head of corporate, Scott Cochrane, said:
"The rankings reflect Herbert Smith Freehills' strong 2016 and continue to highlight the firm’s reputation as a top legal adviser in the global market. These results are testament to the market leading deals we undertake across the corporate practice and the hard work, commitment and talent of all of our people. We now act for more clients in the FTSE 100 than any other UK or US firm and we are the leading law firm for public takeovers above £1 billion in the UK. As we continue to build and strengthen our practice, we look forward to another great year in 2017."