Norton Rose, Lawrence Graham (LG), Berwin Leighton Paisner and DLA Piper are among a clutch of U.K. firms to have cashed in on the rapid growth of the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in recent years, according to new figures released Monday.
Top 10 London firm Norton Rose advises more AIM-listed clients than any other U.K. practice, according to the Hemscott statistics, having acted for 64 businesses to have floated on London’s junior stock exchange.DLA Piper is placed second with 55 AIM-listed clients, while national rivals Eversheds and Pinsent Masons are the only other firms with more than 50 clients on the market, having acted for 53 and 51 businesses respectively.LG tops the rankings for total market capitalization, meanwhile, representing 47 AIM-listed businesses worth almost �7.2 billion ($14.8 billion) in total.Offshore practice Cains boasts the most clients in the so-called AIM 100 -� comprising the 100 largest companies by value on the market -� with the Isle of Man-based firm featuring eight AIM 100 clients worth a combined �3.83 billion ($7.88 billion).Norton Rose is ranked second by value, with seven clients worth �2.98 billion ($6.13 billion), while Berwin Leighton completes the top three, having acted for five clients valued at around �2.78 billion ($5.72 billion).The tables also reveal the increased attention London giants are now paying the junior exchange, with Allen & Overy placed seventh in the AIM 100 rankings, with four clients worth �1.28 billion ($2.63 billion).Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer was placed 10th and Linklaters emerged 19th in the rankings by combined value of all AIM clients.