Weil Gotshal & Manges new recruit, David Aknin, has emerged as the most active deal-doer in the busy European private equity sector since the start of 2002, according to new research.

The Paris-based partner, who left Linklaters to join the US firm in November 2003, has advised on 18 private equity-backed deals worth a total of €13.9bn (£9.6bn) since the beginning of 2002, according to Mergermarket rankings especially produced for Legal Week.