Clifford Chance (CC) has pledged to use New York-style pay deals to lure top M&A partners to its US arm as the global giant outlined its strategy for breaking into the premier league of US transactional firms.

Briefing Legal Week, CC US chief Jim Benedict made it clear the integration this year of more than 20 legacy partners of Rogers & Wells into CC’s global lockstep would not stop the firm hunting for top corporate rainmakers from New York rivals.