Leading North West law firm Napthens has been ranked #1 legal adviser for M&A transactions in the North West for H1 2022, according to a new report by Experian Market IQ.

The news follows an active quarter for the firm’s 30 strong corporate team, as it advised on 23 transactions in the first six months of the year and welcomed experienced dealmaker Kieran Donovan, partner and head of Liverpool, to the team.

Major deals include sale of long standing client Connect 2 Cleanrooms to New York-based private equity firm, ASGARD Partners & Co., purchase of Cumbria-based Wheelbase cycles by JD Sports plc., and the sale of The Regent Hotel, on the shores of Lake Windermere, as well as the 78-bedroom Daffodil Hotel on Lake Grasmere, to Fairtree Alternative Real Estate and Blantyre Capital.

The ranking follows a record year for the corporate team as it grew revenues by 44 per cent in the last financial year, advising on more than 50 transactions valued in excess of £600m.

Richard Robinson, partner at Napthens, said: “Today’s ranking from Experian is recognition for our whole team and the result of years of hard work, that stretches beyond just the past six months. We’ve built a corporate practice that puts relationships first and ensures partner-level oversight on every transaction that we are involved with . Our growth goes beyond the general increase in M&A more generally post pandemic and reflects our position as a trusted adviser on some of the regions highest profile deals.”