McGuireWoods locked in its standing as a leading law firm for M&A and syndicated lending deals in 2019 by repeating strong performances on the most closely watched league tables.
For the second year in row, the firm ranked first worldwide for advising lenders in syndicated loans, according to Refinitiv, with 254 deals, more than any other firm in the world. The value of those deals — $223.6 billion — places the firm second in proceeds. It was the second year in a row the firm topped the tables.
According to Raj Natarajan, chair of the firm’s Debt Finance Department, the firm’s lawyers are delivering for clients in a big way. “Many firms talk about the excellence of their banking and finance practices,” he said. ”But very few have the numbers — the deal count and deal value — to back it up. The league tables don’t lie.”
McGuireWoods also cemented its reputation as a go-to M&A law firm, again earning top five rankings for U.S. deals and top 10 rankings for global transactions in year-end league tables published by Refinitiv and Bloomberg. The firm closed more than 350 M&A and private equity deals in 2019, representing buyers, sellers, investors and financial advisers. More than one-third of those transactions were in the healthcare sector, a measure of McGuireWoods’ longstanding leadership in the rapidly changing industry.
“We consistently rank among the leading M&A law firms because clients know our global capabilities and in-depth industry knowledge will help them close their deals successfully,” said Michael Woodard, chair of the M&A and Corporate Transactions Department.
The firm’s capital markets team also delivered another strong performance, earning top 10 rankings in Refinitiv and Bloomberg league tables.
Apart from the rankings, McGuireWoods’ transactional practices were recognized by respected authorities for innovative, industry-focused initiatives that add value for clients. The American Lawyer named the firm a finalist for Best Business Team in its Global Legal Awards for devising a business development strategy that enables its lawyers to introduce companies and investors to deal opportunities. McGuireWoods continued to expand its national network of independent sponsors and capital providers, as more than 800 attended the firm’s third annual Independent Sponsor Conference in Dallas.
“The league tables validate our standing as a leading law firm for M&A, private equity, capital markets and syndicated lending transactions,” said Richard Viola, deputy managing partner of the firm’s corporate practice. “Our broad-based capabilities and industry-focused approach to client service set the firm apart and have us poised for greater success in the years ahead.”