According to a recent report published by Hildebrandt International, U.S. law firms were involved in 31 mergers in the first half of 2006. This represents a slight decline from 2005, where firms entered into 34 mergers over the same period.

The largest completed law firm merger of 2006 so far was the combination of Bingham McCutchen with Swidler Berlin, which created a 950-lawyer firm. Four other mergers involved the combination of two firms with at least 50 lawyers each. The remaining mergers involved smaller firms. About half the deals involved two firms located in the same state.

In other law firm news, Global Securities Information Inc. recently published its quarterly rankings of the top legal counsel for mergers and acquisitions.

Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz topped the rankings for the second quarter of 2006, having served as lead counsel on 14 completed deals that were worth a total transactional value of almost $56 billion. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom came in a close second, brokering 21 deals worth approximately $55 billion.

The rankings were as follows:

1. Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, 14 deals worth a total of $55.9 billion

2. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, 21 deals worth a total of $55.1 billion

3. Shearman & Sterling, 9 deals worth a total of $35.8 billion

4. Hogan & Hartson, 7 deals worth a total of $35.3 billion

5. Latham & Watkins, 18 deals worth a total of $31.0 billion

6. Sullivan & Cromwell, 12 deals worth a total of $ 28.9 billion

7. Jones Day, 8 deals worth a total of $28.1 billion

8. Baker & McKenzie, 11 deals worth a total of $27.4 billion

9. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, 5 deals worth a total of $26.2 billion

10. Hengeler Mueller Weitzel Wirtz, 2 deals worth a total of $22.7 billion

Source: Global Securities Information, Click Here

According to a recent report published by Hildebrandt International, U.S. law firms were involved in 31 mergers in the first half of 2006. This represents a slight decline from 2005, where firms entered into 34 mergers over the same period.

The largest completed law firm merger of 2006 so far was the combination of Bingham McCutchen with Swidler Berlin, which created a 950-lawyer firm. Four other mergers involved the combination of two firms with at least 50 lawyers each. The remaining mergers involved smaller firms. About half the deals involved two firms located in the same state.

In other law firm news, Global Securities Information Inc. recently published its quarterly rankings of the top legal counsel for mergers and acquisitions.

Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz topped the rankings for the second quarter of 2006, having served as lead counsel on 14 completed deals that were worth a total transactional value of almost $56 billion. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom came in a close second, brokering 21 deals worth approximately $55 billion.

The rankings were as follows:

1. Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, 14 deals worth a total of $55.9 billion

2. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, 21 deals worth a total of $55.1 billion

3. Shearman & Sterling, 9 deals worth a total of $35.8 billion

4. Hogan & Hartson, 7 deals worth a total of $35.3 billion

5. Latham & Watkins, 18 deals worth a total of $31.0 billion

6. Sullivan & Cromwell, 12 deals worth a total of $ 28.9 billion

7. Jones Day, 8 deals worth a total of $28.1 billion

8. Baker & McKenzie, 11 deals worth a total of $27.4 billion

9. Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, 5 deals worth a total of $26.2 billion

10. Hengeler Mueller Weitzel Wirtz, 2 deals worth a total of $22.7 billion

Source: Global Securities Information, Click Here