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HSF’s TMT practice picks up pace
Herbert Smith Freehills has recorded another strong year for technology, media and telecommunications activity, continuing its seven-year growth trend in this practice area.
Emma Musgrave
According to Mergermarket’s Q4 2016 TMT Trend Report, HSF has taken out the number five spot for top legal adviser worldwide by deal value – the only non-US headquartered firm to make the top five.
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The report found that HSF advised on TMT transactions with a total value of US$162 billion over the period, including three of the top five global TMT M&A deals.
This included advising Sky on a recommended takeover offer from 21st Century Fox, which was the second-largest M&A deal announced in the UK market in 2016 and the fifth-largest TMT deal globally.
The firm also advised on AT&T’s takeover of Time Warner, which was the largest transaction in any sector globally in 2016.
Commenting on the results, HSF TMT lead partner Tony Joyner said: “2016 was another strong year for TMT M&A activity globally, continuing a seven-year upward trend and accounting for 21.4 per cent of global M&A activity”.
“Our strong sector focus on TMT means that Herbert Smith Freehills is recognised as one of the most trusted law firms in this area. We are grateful that our clients turned to us for advice in some of the most significant and high-profile deals in the market,” he said.
“Looking ahead in 2017, we expect to see continued strong deal activity in Europe, particularly in technology and media, as well as activity in fintech, internet of things, artificial intelligence and big data, cyber security, augmented reality, content, advertising and disruptive technologies.”
Key members of HSF’s global TMT M&A team include Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, James Crowe and Peter Dunne in Australia, Mark Robinson in Singapore, Graeme Preston in Japan, Dongho Lee in South Korea, Karen Ip in China, Judith Watson in the Middle East, Ralf Thaeter and Sönke Becker in Germany, Nicholas Moore, Stephen Wilkinson and Gavin Davies in the UK, Edouard Thomas in France, Nicolás Martín in Spain and Rudolph du Plessis in South Africa.
