Brazil Boosts Legal M&A Business

Although Mexico accounted for Latin America’s top deal last year, it was Brazil that helped boost mergers and acquisitions business at international law firms.

The value of announced Brazilian M&A’s that UK-based Clifford Chance advised on accounted for 92 percent of its Latin America deals last year, according to a Latin Business Chronicle analysis of Thomson Reuters data. U.S.-based Skadden saw 79 percent of its announced Latin America M&A business come from Brazil, while US-based Latham & Watkins saw 85 percent come from Brazilian deals. Meanwhile, all of Spain-based Uria Menendez’ Latin America M&A business came from Brazil.

Clifford Chance, Skadden, Latham and Uria Menendez were the only international law firms among the top ten advisors on Brazilian M&A’s last year.

Clifford Chance, ranked by American Lawyer as the third-largest law firm in the world by 2009 revenues, jumped from 12^th to seventh place among the top legal advisors on Brazilian M&A deals after advising on five deals worth $14.3 billion. That compares with nine deals worth $15.1 billion in Latin America overall, according to Thomson Reuters.

“Brazils fast growing economy has ...



Keywords: Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins, Skadden

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TABLE: Country Share of M&As