Corporate and M&A
Operating in more than 30 countries – and at the forefront of our industry – Allen & Overy is one of the world’s leading corporate advisers.
Working alongside some of the world’s most successful companies, commercial and investment banks and private equity firms, the corporate work we do breaks new ground and sets precedents.
Our clients know us as an ambitious, creative and enterprising team of individuals who think differently and embrace the most complex and cutting-edge commercial ventures.
We find innovative new ways to deliver our services and exceed expectations: on public takeovers, private M&A, equity capital markets, private equity, joint ventures and commercial partnerships, disposals and corporate restructurings.
Combined with our transactional expertise, we also cover the full range of specialist areas including antitrust and competition, commercial, employment and benefits, environmental, intellectual property, tax and corporate governance.
Moreover, we work hand-in-hand with banking and finance, capital markets and litigation teams to cover the full spectrum of business law advice and ensure a level of service and quality of advice that very few other firms can match on a global scale.
Driven by our clients’ needs, we combine U.S., English and local law expertise within one single, integrated firm as well as the broadest network of any of the leading global elite law firms, with more than 40 offices worldwide. Our global insights, local depth and creative thinking assist us to get deals done and find solutions in complex cases.
-
Adviser to the second largest number of FTSE 100 companies of all law firms.
-
Lead M&A adviser on five of the ten highest value cross-border M&A deals in 2018.
Representative experience
- 21st Century Fox on its proposed USD71bn acquisition by The Walt Disney Company.
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC on its multi-billion dollar three-way merger with Union National Bank PJSC and Al Hilal Bank.
- Blackstone on its EUR1bn acquisition of a majority stake in Luminor Bank from Nordea and DNB.
- BMW Group on its EUR3bn transaction to acquire control of its JV with Brilliance China Automotive.
- China Resources as the significant majority stakeholder in a consortium with Macquarie Capital, on the proposed acquisition of up to 74% of GenesisCare from KKR and existing management and associated shareholder arrangements.
- Pentair on the international aspects of the USD3.15bn sale of its Valves & Controls division to Emerson Electric Co. To date, the transaction has involved 27 A&O offices in 24 jurisdictions.
- Qualcomm on its USD47bn acquisition of NXP Semiconductors through a tender offer on all issued and outstanding shares.
- Virgin Money on its GBP4.4bn merger with CYBG.
Explore our services
Meet our lawyers
News & insights
Publications: 03 APRIL 2020
Covid-19 coronavirus measures impacting insolvency proceedings and enforcement
In light of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, the vast majority of European countries are implementing various measures concerning insolvency proceedings, restructurings and rights of creditors generally. At the same time, accessibility of insolvency courts and practitioners is becoming limited.
Read more
Publications: 30 MARCH 2020
Covid-19 coronavirus: emerging data protection and cybersecurity guidance
The Covid-19 coronavirus is creating a need for organisations to process personal data, for a variety of specific purposes (including managing and protecting their workforce, customers and the public). Many of these processing activities are not part of “business as usual”, so established policies and protocols may not exist. Organisations face a challenge to ensure that this processing complies with data protection and privacy laws, particularly given the urgency behind some of these processing activities and other pressures, which means there is limited time available for consideration and consultation.
Read more
News: 04 MARCH 2020
A&O bolsters China Corporate practice with appointment of partner Tess Fang in Hong Kong
Allen & Overy is expanding its global Corporate practice with the appointment of Tess Fang, a partner in the Hong Kong office. A native Mandarin speaker who is New York, Hong Kong and PRC-qualified, Tess’s practice will focus on cross-border M&A and private equity transactions in China and globally.
Read more
News: 04 MARCH 2020
Allen & Overy served as lead counsel to rental services provider WillScot Corporation [NASDAQ:WSC] in its merger agreement with portable storage solutions provider Mobile Mini, Inc. [NASDAQ:MINI]. The agreement was signed on March 1, 2020, and the merger is expected to close later this year.
Read moreRecognition
A&O is an excellent resource for us as a company that has so many global offices. They have a really good handle on co-ordination and deal management for large global transactions, that's one of their huge strengths. There was a huge number of worldwide entities that we addressed, and we couldn't have done without their project management skills.
Chambers Global 2020 (Corporate/M&A)
The obvious key strengths are the outstanding intra-firm co-operation among several offices, quality of personnel and the seamless support.
Chambers Global 2019 (Corporate/M&A)
You get consistent service across the world. Whether it's Hong Kong, London, or New York, you can use their network with absolute confidence.
Chambers Global 2019 (Corporate/M&A)
Competency, knowledge, global reach and sound, engaging approach.
Chambers Global 2018 (Corporate/M&A)
M&A Insights
Global M&A outlook - confronting the unknown
The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic is bringing the global transactions market to a near standstill with a sharp slowdown in dealmaking likely to persist until the public health crisis is brought under control.
Awards
- M&A Law Firm of the Year, IFLR Asia Awards 2019
- M&A Deal of the Year: Diageo’s partial tender offer for Swellfun, IFLR Asia Awards 2019
- M&A Deal of the Year: Diageo’s acquisition of Shuijingfang, China Law & Practice (CLP) Awards 2019
- Debt and equity-linked Deal of the Year, IFLR Middle East Awards 2019
- Global Elite – ranked third out of the top 25 global law firms for antitrust/competition, Global Competition Review 2019
- Best Law Firm in Asia: M&A, FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2019
- UK Legal Adviser of the Year, Mergermarket European M&A Awards 2019
- Benelux Legal Adviser of the Year, Mergermarket European M&A Awards 2019
- Domestic Deal of the Year for Alawwal Bank/The Saudi British Bank merger, IFLR Middle East Awards 2019
- Best M&A Deal, FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2018
- Best IPO, FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2018
- European Mid-Market M&A Adviser of the Year, Mergermarket Awards 2018
- Equity Team of the Year, IFLR Middle East Awards 2018
- Equity Deal of the Year: ADNOC Distribution IPO, IFLR Middle East Awards 2018
- M&A Deal of the Year: KCA Deutag/Dalma Energy combination, IFLR Middle East Awards 2018
