Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr ranks first in DealMakers M&A deal flow for fourth year in a row

For the fourth year in a row, business law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has advised on more M&A deals than any other law firm in South Africa. The firm has taken top honours in the DealMakers 2012 Awards for M&A deal flow since 2009. The firm advised on 98 M&A deals in 2012 (up from 77 last year), which was 24.5% of market share. The value of the deals was R41,109 billion.

The firm was also ranked first for General Corporate Finance Deal Flow and Deal Value, having advised on 33 corporate finance transactions in 2012, with a combined deal value of R 39,424 billion. The firm was also first in Unlisted Deals Deal Flow.

According to Willem Jacobs, National Head of the firm's Corporate and Commercial practice group, these successes continue to underline the firm's pre-eminent position in the market.

“Being ranked first in the Dealmakers Deal Flow category for four years in a row is unprecedented and reinforces our position as one of South Africa's leading business law firms.  It places us firmly in the market as our clients’ preferred choice for M&A and Corporate Finance”, says Jacobs.

Jacobs says that key sectors to watch for future M&A activity include mining and minerals, energy, oil and gas, infrastructure and hospitality and leisure.

DealMakers records every M&A deal or corporate finance transaction entered into by any South African listed company. Details include the date, asset, value and various tombstone parties supplying transactional services. The annual winners are ranked by total value and total number of transactions advised on during the year (2012).

With more than 52 M&A lawyers in South Africa, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has one of the largest M&A practices in South Africa. The firm's core M&A deal team also includes practitioners from other practice groups with experience in finance and banking, competition, tax, employee incentives, pension and real estate.

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr was also recently announced as South Africa's No. 1 Large Law Firm for 2013 in the independent PMR Africa survey, a title the firm has held for seven years.