GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, has revealed its league tables for top 10 legal advisers by value and volume in Asia Pacific for Q1 2022.

A total of 1,904 merger and acquisition (M&A) deals were announced in the region during Q1 2022.The deal value for the region increased by 38% from $126.8bn in Q1 2021 to $175bn in Q1 2022, based on GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database.

Top advisers by value and volume

According to GlobalData’s ‘Global and Asia-Pacific M&A Report Legal Adviser League Tables Q1 2022’, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and AZB & Partners emerged as the top M&A legal advisers in the APAC region for Q1 2022 by value and volume, respectively. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett advised on five deals worth $10bn, the highest among all the advisers. AZB & Partners led in volume terms having advised on 29 deals worth $4.3bn.

GlobalData lead analyst Aurojyoti Bose said: “Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and AZB & Partners were clear winners by value and volume, respectively. While Simpson Thacher & Bartlett was the only adviser with total deal value crossing US$10bn mark, AZB & Partners was also the only adviser that managed to advise on more than 20 deals during Q1 2022.

“Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, apart from leading by value, also occupied the 10th position by volume. Similarly, AZB & Partners, apart from leading by volume, also occupied eighth position by value.”

Herbert Smith Freehills took the second position in the value table with 17 deals valued at $8.4bn followed by White & Case with four deals worth $7.6bn. Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Mannheimer Swartling jointly took the fourth place by value with each advising on one deal worth $7.5bn.

Herbert Smith Freehills with 17 deals valued at $8.4bn got the second position in terms of volume. It was followed by Khaitan with 12 deals worth $3.7bn and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas with ten deals valued at $4.7bn. Gilbert + Tobin secured the fifth position by volume with nine deals worth $1.3bn.

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.