The Lawyer- Ashurst is set to target activist hedge funds in a move it hopes will give it first-mover advantage in the evolving M&A landscape.
Ashurst’s new strategy sets it apart from other City firms, which have been wary of activist hedge funds because of the potential for conflicts of interest.
Ashurst head of corporate Adrian Clark said the firm is reviewing how best to tackle activist hedge funds in a response to their increasing importance on the M&A landscape. The objective is not only to target activist hedge funds, but to better understand funds and their tactics so that effective advice can be given to corporate clients, which have increasingly met with activism that can lead to forced sales or disrupted mergers.
Several recent deals, such as ABN Amro and Countrywide, have been triggered or affected by activist funds.
