Just two US-based law firms have muscled their way into the top 10 most active legal advisers on private equity deals for the year so far, despite a sustained attempt to gain market share from their European rivals.
US-based Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Kirkland & Ellis finished fifth and ninth respectively in the Mergermarket league table, which was ranked by value of deals. UK-based law firms Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Dickson Minto and Linklaters led the rankings.
