According to a recent news release, DLA Piper has been ranked first by deal volume in the global M&A League Tables for Legal Advisers produced by mergermarket for the first six months of 2010. Piper’s international legal practice advised on a total of 138 deals during this period, an increase of 35 per cent from its third position in the latter half of 2009 with 102 deals, despite the overall sag felt in the global economy.
Recent global transactions of note include KKR’s acquisition of Pets at Home for £955m (UK); Pfizer’s divesture of a material portion of Pfizer’s and Wyeth’s animal health business to Boerhinger Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (US); and Qingdao Haier Co, Ltd. on its acquisition of a 31.93% stake in Haier Electronics Group Company Limited for HK$1,941,345,330 (China).
DLA Piper has 3,500 lawyers in more than 65 offices in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States.