
Small Is Beautiful
Encouraged by government stimulus programs, banks are finding new ways to finance SMEs. Once the economy recovers, will the surge of interest recede?
By Michael Shari
LEGAL ADVISERS
GLOBAL
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Advising companies on 154 M&A deals worth $294.5 billion, Simpson was ranked number one by Thomson Reuters in 2011. It advised Petrohawk Energy on its $15.1 billion sale to BHP Billiton.
NORTH AMERICA
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Ranking in first place among legal advisers in North America, Simpson advised clients on 133 deals worth $201.4 billion in the US alone last year, according to Thomson Reuters.
WESTERN EUROPE
Linklaters
Linklaters rose from seventh to first place in 2011 for European M&A. Last year it advised on 232 deals in Western Europe with a value of $210.6 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.
ASIA
Linklaters
Ranking in first place in Asia last year, Linklaters advised companies on 44 M&A deals worth $37.9 billion. The firm has an 11.3% market share in Asia, according to Thomson Reuters.
CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE
Dewey & LeBoeuf
In Eastern Europe’s biggest M&A deal last year, New York firm Dewey & LeBoeuf advised Spartan Capital Holdings on its $6.2 billion acquisition of Polish telecom company Polkomtel.
LATIN AMERICA
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cleary Gottlieb is working with Latin American companies on deals in Europe and north of the Rio Grande, says partner Chantal Kordula in New York.
MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
Linklaters
Even though the Arab Spring made negotiating deals more challenging than ever, Linklaters actually opened a new office in Abu Dhabi last year.