Dechert Recognized Among Top Law Firms for 2017 M&A Deals Worldwide by Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg

Leading global law firm Dechert LLP has been ranked among the top law firms for M&A deals around the world in the 2017 year-end league tables of both Thomson Reuters and Bloomberg.

In Thomson Reuters’ 2017 Mergers & Acquisitions Review, Dechert was ranked among the leading law firms for the total value of announced M&A deals worldwide. In addition, Dechert was highly ranked based on the total number and total value of announced deals with U.S. targets, as well as total value of deals with U.S., Japanese, French and Latin America involvement. 

In Bloomberg’s 2017 Global M&A Market Review Legal Rankings report, Dechert was ranked among the top law firms for total volume of global announced deals – principals. Dechert was also listed among the top law firms for both total volume and total number of U.S. announced deals, as well as U.S. announced deals – principals. In addition, Dechert was ranked among the top law firms for total number of announced deals in France and Japan, the total volume of announced deals in South Korea, and the total volume of announced APAC private equity deals.

 “It is thanks to our clients that Dechert’s M&A team advised on some of the most sophisticated and significant corporate transactions of the year,” said Mark E. Thierfelder, chair of Dechert’s global corporate and securities practice. “Our group has significantly expanded with key partner hires focused on our core product lines across the U.S., Europe and Asia, allowing us to more fully help our clients realize their global growth strategies.” 

Dechert has expanded its global corporate and M&A platform around the world with the recent hiring of corporate/private equity and finance partners Christopher Field, Jane Scobie, John Markland, Ross Allardice, Philip Butler, David Miles and Rob Bradshaw (London); Naz Zilkha, Gareth Clark and Jeff Norton (New York); Stephen Chan and Xiao Yong (Hong Kong); Siew Kam Boon (Singapore) and Nicholas Song (Beijing).

Examples of recent transactions on which Dechert advised include:

• Albéa S.A. on its proposed US$1.5 billion sale to PAI Partners by an affiliate of Sun European Partners (the European advisor to U.S.-based private equity firm Sun Capital Partners).
• Chrysaor, the UK oil and gas independent, on its acquisition of a package of assets in the UK North Sea from Shell UK Limited and its affiliates for more than US$3.8 billion.
• CIT Group on the sale of its Paris-based European rail leasing subsidiary group Nacco to German-based VTG Aktiengesellschaft for US$1.05 billion.
• Crown Holdings on its proposed US$3.91 billion acquisition of Signode Industrial Group LLC, a global provider of transit packaging systems and solutions, from The Carlyle Group.
• ECN Capital Corp. on the US$1.25 billion sale of its U.S. commercial and vendor finance business to PNC Bank. 
• Franklin Square Holdings, L.P. and its affiliated investment advisers in connection with their agreement to form a joint venture relationship with KKR Credit Advisors (U.S.) LLC, an affiliate of KKR & Co. L.P., creating a business development company platform with US$18 billion in combined assets under management. 
• GMéxico Transportes S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico SAB de CV, on its US$2.1 billion acquisition of Florida East Coast Railway, a 351-mile long Class II railway that serves major Florida ports from Miami to Jacksonville.
• Ipsen on its cross-border acquisition of global oncology assets from U.S.-based Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MACK) for more than US$1 billion. 
• Lazada on a second US$1 billion investment from Alibaba Group Golding Limited, which increased its Lazada ownership stake from 51 to 83 percent
• MSD Partners, L.P., as part of a consortium including CCMP Capital Advisors and Alberta Investment Management Corporation, in connection with the acquisition of Hayward Industries, Inc. 
• Shanghai Shenda Co., Ltd. in connection with the formation of Auria Solutions, a global joint venture with International Automotive Components Group, to supply soft trim and acoustical products for the automotive industry. 
• SK hynix Inc. as part of a consortium in connection with the US$18 billion acquisition of Japanese-based Toshiba Corporation’s NAND flash memory and solid-state drive business, representing one of the largest deals in Asia.

About Dechert 

Dechert is a global law firm focused on sectors with the greatest complexities and highest regulatory demands. We deliver practical commercial insight and judgment to our clients' most important matters. Nothing stands in the way of giving clients the best of the firm's entrepreneurial energy and seamless collaboration in a way that is distinctively Dechert.