DLA Phillips Fox climbs league tables with DLA Piper

The corporate practice at DLA Phillips Fox continues to go from strength to strength, ending the second quarter of 2008 with record-high rankings in several league tables. The firm, ranked under the banner of its exclusive alliance partner, DLA Piper, is ranked 9th by volume of M&A deals in Australia/New Zealand by both Mergermarket and Bloomberg.

In the Mergermarket table for Australia/New Zealand announced M&A deals ranked by number of deals, DLA Piper (which is DLA Piper and DLA Phillips Fox deals together) is ranked 9th with 11 deals . This is the first time the firm has appeared inside the Top 10 for volume of deals.

In Bloomberg's league table for Australia/New Zealand announced M&A deals ranked by number of deals, DLA Piper (which is DLA Piper and DLA Phillips Fox deals together) ranked 9th with 10 deals, compared with its 16th ranking for the same period in 2007.

DLA Piper and DLA Phillips Fox were also ranked 5th in Bloomberg's Australia/New Zealand Equity IPO Issuer Advisers table by deal value. Market share is calculated at 4.3% of the total market. For the same period last year the firm was ranked 10th with a 1.4% market share figure. By deal count, the firms are ranked 3rd.

Examples of deals that DLA Phillips Fox has advised on in the first half of 2008 include Darley Australia's acquisition of the Inghams bloodstock business, the $212m acquisition of Optium Corporation by Finisar, and the $53m sale of Silk Telecom to Nextgen.

The firm has been strategically growing its corporate team, particularly in Sydney, through both organic growth and lateral hires over the last few years.

‘These are extremely pleasing results and clearly illustrate that our strategy of aggressively growing our market share in both the M&A and equity capital market sectors is working.  We have targeted both sectors as key areas for growth for the firm across Australia and New Zealand and  we will continue to devote significant resources towards further growing our market share in both sectors,’ said David Morris, Corporate Practice Group Leader.

For more information contact:
Clare Buttner
Media Relations Consultant, DLA Phillips Fox
T: + 61 2 9286 8400 | E: clare.buttner@dlaphillipsfox.com