Bond market remains resilient with low interest rates and high borrowing driving work levels for elite firms

Linklaters and Allen & Overy (A&O) have dominated Thomson Reuters' global legal rankings for bank roles on debt capital markets transactions in 2012, as the value of debt deals grew by 11.3% over the period.

The data, cut off at 21 January, shows Linklaters toppling A&O from the global top spot after advising managers on 524 straight debt deals globally in the 2012 calendar year, generating proceeds of $394bn (£248bn).

A&O took second place in the global rankings with roles on 494 deals with proceeds of $366bn (£230bn). These included a role on an €18bn (£15bn) four-year retail bond in November and Center Parcs' £1bn refinancing of a new resort at Woburn, Bedfordshire, on which the firm advised Blackstone and Center Parcs.

Clifford Chance (CC), Cahill Gordon & Reindel and Davis Polk & Wardwell rounded off the top five. 

The figures show debt capital markets proceeds totalled $5.8trn (£3.7trn) over the period – a rise of 11.3% on the same period in 2011 – while deal volumes increased by 2.9%, from 16,098 to 16,558.

Linklaters capital markets partner Jim Rice (pictured) said: "It has been a pretty rocky year. There have been several times during the year when both people at the firm and our clients were nervous about how the markets were looking, following the knock-on effects of issues such as the euro crisis and US budget negotiations. 

"These figures show, as market commentators have said for a long time, the bond markets are remarkably robust and their importance is likely to increase as bank lending stays under pressure due to issues like tightening of capital rules."

A&O capital markets partner Boyan Wells said: "Issuance activity last year started off reasonably quietly, given concerns with the euro and the financial sector. 

"But activity picked up, particularly in emerging markets, and the latter part of the year saw a real upturn. Liability management work was steady throughout the year, with a substantial amount of debt buy-backs."

Thomson's data shows A&O leading the bank rankings for all international bonds ahead of Linklaters with roles on 568 issues worth $454bn (£286bn), with CC topping the issuer-side debt rankings.

CC's deal count included a role advising Barclays and Deutsche Bank on the first ever eurobond issue by Zambia last September, worth $750m (£473m).

CC global head of capital markets David Dunnigan said: "In a low-interest environment, emerging markets bonds still offer interesting investment opportunities for investors, and issuance out of EMEA was, and continues to be, particularly strong. I feel very confident about the year ahead.

"The positive fundamentals are here to stay – low interest rates, high borrowing and refinancing needs, and investors searching for yield."

Meanwhile, Sidley Austin ranked first among global issuer legal advisers thanks to roles on 1,104 deals amounting to $203bn (£128bn), far ahead of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and CC, which ranked second and third respectively.