Vinge in the lead despite market downturn

11 Oct, 2002 11:36 CET

Vinge tops mergermarket's ranking list of legal counsel advising on
Nordic M&A transactions during the first nine months of 2002. Two Vinge
lawyers are among the five individual counsel most frequently engaged.

The Nordic market for M&A transactions involving values in excess of SEK
150 million has followed the international pattern. According to
mergermarket's statistics, there has been a decrease of some 50 % as
compared with 2001. Vinge remains the firm most frequently engaged in
connection with large M&A transactions, and the list of individual names
is again topped by Vinge partner Johan Cervin, who headed the full-year
lists for 2000 and 2001, with partner Christoffer Saidac ranked as no.
4.

- Naturally, we are very happy that Vinge and several of our lawyers
remain in pole position within the Nordic M&A market - which is an
attractive market, says Michael Wigge, Managing Partner of Vinge's
Stockholm office.

- It is also interesting to note that the substantial decline within M&A
in the US and Europe, including the Nordic region, has not led to a
corresponding decrease in the overall demand for our services. Vinge has
for instance acted on all listings on the Stockholm Stock Exchange which
have taken place during the year. Reconstructions - in particular in the
telecoms sector - and property transactions are areas where we have also
seen an increase, Michael Wigge continues.

The transactions on which Vinge has been advising include GE Capital's
purchase of ABB Structured Finance for a purchase price exceeding EUR 21
million. The transaction, which was designated "Deal of the Week" by The
Lawyer, saw Vinge acting alongside Clifford Chance LLP. Vinge's team
consisted of partners Bo Adrianzon and Fredrik Wilkens and, among
others, associates Maria-Pia Midenbäck Hope and Mikael Ståhl. Vinge is
also assisting Icelandic Kaupthing Bank in connection with its bid for
JP Nordiska. In the earlier part of the year, Vinge advised German
company Infineon Technologies in connection with its acquisition of
Ericsson's Microelectronics division.

- We believe that recent events such as accounting scandals and
increased uncertainty will lead to a continued increase in the need for
top-quality legal services. Independence, security and business ethics
are at the very core of what we can offer our clients, and I am
confident about Vinge being well equipped to meet the demands of the
market also in this regard, says Hans Wibom, chairman of Vinge.


Vinge is one of Scandinavia's largest law firms offering a full range of
legal services with a focus on M&A and Corporate Finance. Today the
worldwide staff exceeds 445, of which over 275 are lawyers.

_______________________


For further information, please contact Michael Wigge, tel. +46-8-614 30 56, +46-70-714 30 56, e-mail  , or
Fredrik von Baumgarten,
tel. +46-8-614 3107, +46-70-714 3107, e-mail
 .


mergermarket is an English company which compiles information of company
acquisitions and other transactions in the European market on a
continuous basis. For further information, visit www.mergermarket.com.


mergermarket league table (by volume) of legal advisors advising in
transactions in Northern Europe for 9 months ending September 30 2002

Rank Company Name Number of Deals
1 Vinge 20
2 Mannheimer Swartling 18
3 Linklaters 15
4 Hannes Snellman 13
5 White & Case 11
6 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 9
7 Allen & Overy 9
8 Clifford Chance 9
9 Skadden Arps 7
10 Slaughter and May 5

mergermarket league table (by volume) of individual lawyers advising in
transactions in Northern Europe for 9 months ending September 30 2002

Rank Deal Count Name Company Name
1 5 Johan Cervin Vinge
2 4 Petri Haussila White & Case
3 4 Tuomo Vahapassi Hannes Snellman
4 4 Christoffer Saidac Vinge
5 3 George Sampas Sullivan & Cromwell