Linklaters has cemented its status as an elite M&A adviser with the London giant topping mergermarket’s European tables for the first nine months of 2002 – just days after the firm once again led separate global rankings for the same period.

The figures show the magic circle firm advising on a 136 announced European deals this year with a value of e143bn (£90.98bn), more than a fifth higher than that of nearest rival Clifford Chance (CC).