IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v79y2025ics1544612325005835.html

Do legal advisors boost M&A performance

Author

Listed:
  • Qi, Meng
  • Wu, Wei
  • Yan, Yue
  • Wu, Shuying
  • Ji, Zheng

Abstract

In this study, we investigate whether legal advisors really have a significant impact on M&A performance based on evidence from China. Taking a sample consisting of M&A deals from 2015 to 2022, we show a strong positive relationship between prestigious legal advisors and M&A performance, both short-term and long-term. Moreover, we show this relationship is more pronounced when acquirers and targets are not located in the same provinces. Our study contributes to the M&A literature by shedding light on the role of legal advisors in the M&A process.

Suggested Citation

  • Qi, Meng & Wu, Wei & Yan, Yue & Wu, Shuying & Ji, Zheng, 2025. "Do legal advisors boost M&A performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:79:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325005835
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.107320
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325005835
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.107320?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liang, Peng & Liang, Lin & Tang, Xinhui, 2024. "The impact of digital-oriented mergers and acquisitions on enterprise labor demand," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    2. Hou, Ceng & Li, Beiwei, 2024. "Executive network centrality and corporate merger and acquisition efficiency: A governance effect or collusion effect?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    3. Vo, Hong & Nguyen, Hien T. & Phan, Hieu V., 2024. "Corporate social responsibility and the choice of payment method in mergers and acquisitions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Jan-Peer Laabs & Dirk Schiereck, 2010. "The long-term success of M&A in the automotive supply industry: determinants of capital market performance," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 34(1), pages 61-88, January.
    5. Gao, Weiwei & Huang, Zhen & Yang, Ping, 2019. "Political connections, corporate governance and M&A performance: Evidence from Chinese family firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 38-53.
    6. Olivier Chatain & Philipp Meyer-Doyle, 2017. "Alleviating managerial dilemmas in human-capital-intensive firms through incentives: Evidence from M&A legal advisors," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 232-254, February.
    7. Li, Ruifen & Zhang, Ruihua, 2024. "How does exchange rate fluctuation affect the efficiency of Chinese enterprises' overseas mergers and acquisitions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    8. C. N. V. Krishnan & Ronald W. Masulis, 2013. "Law Firm Expertise and Merger and Acquisition Outcomes," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(1), pages 189-226.
    9. Szu-Yin (Jennifer) Wu & Kee H. Chung, 2022. "Hedge Fund Activism and Corporate M&A Decisions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 1378-1403, February.
    10. JuXian Wang & Tianyi Dong & Jinbu Zhai, 2023. "Goodwill Impairment, Loss Avoidance Effects and Subsequent Corporate M&A Decisions," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(2), pages 479-497, January.
    11. Dong, Yizhe & Li, Chang & Li, Haoyu, 2021. "Customer concentration and M&A performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    12. Zheng, Zhigang & Li, Jiarong & Ren, Xingzi & Guo, Jie Michael, 2023. "Does corporate ESG create value? New evidence from M&As in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Chenyu Zhang & Ju Mao & Xinshu Mao, 2024. "M&A compensation commitment and stock price crash risk: evidence from China," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(5), pages 757-787, September.
    14. Xin Wang & Jiacai Xiong & Caiyue Ouyang & Feida Zhang, 2023. "I Feel Your Pain: The Effect of Regulator as a Minority Shareholder on Merger and Acquisition Performance," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(1), pages 437-465, March.
    15. He, Hui & Shi, Wei, 2023. "Enterprise litigation risk and enterprise performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    16. Anja Trichterborn & Dodo Zu Knyphausen-Aufseß & Lars Schweizer, 2016. "How to improve acquisition performance: The role of a dedicated M&A function, M&A learning process, and M&A capability," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 763-773, April.
    17. Laabs, J.-P. & Schiereck, D., 2010. "The Long-term Success of M&A in the Automotive Supply Industry: Determinants of Capital Market Performance," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 56586, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yang, Liguo & Liu, Yuna, 2025. "How the negative list system affect enterprises' overseas merger and acquisition?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PC).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Ying & Zhang, Qianwen, 2025. "Goodwill impairment and corporate innovation investment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Liang, Peng & Liang, Lin & Tang, Xinhui, 2024. "The impact of digital-oriented mergers and acquisitions on enterprise labor demand," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    3. Hao, Yinhui & Zhou, Yan, 2025. "The effect of financial advisor reputation on mergers and acquisitions performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Yu, Haipeng & Cheng, Xiaoke & Sun, Qian & Shen, Xiaotian, 2025. "Does vertical integration reduce the cost of equity?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Jinho Choi & Nina Shin & Hee Soo Lee, 2020. "Exploring the Dynamics between M&A Activities and Industry-Level Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-24, May.
    6. Feng, Hongxia & Yang, Bowen & Bhandari, Pratikshya, 2024. "The influence of CSR on cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    7. Navio-Marco, J & Solorzano-Garcia, M & Urueña, A., 2015. "Language As Key Factor Of Long-Term Value Creation In Mergers And Acquisitions In The Telecommunications Sector," 26th European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2015 127170, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    8. Navío-Marco, Julio & Solórzano-García, Marta & Matilla-García, Mariano & Urueña, Alberto, 2016. "Language as a key factor of long-term value creation in mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications sector," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 1052-1063.
    9. Jensen-Vinstrup, Mathias & Rigamonti, Damiana & Wulff, Jesper, 2018. "European cross-border acquisitions: Long-run stock returns and firm characteristics," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 47, pages 31-45.
    10. Pathak, Seemantini & Chiu, Shih-Chi (Sana), 2020. "Firm-advisor ties and financial performance in the context of corporate divestiture," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 315-328.
    11. George Marian AEVOAE, 2018. "How Can We Create Value From Enterprise Concentrations? A Meta-Analysis Of The Scientific Literature On M&As In The European Union," EURINT, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 5, pages 63-87.
    12. Wanyi Chen & Ning Hu & Xiangfang Zhao, 2022. "Information asymmetry, regulatory inquiry, and company mergers and acquisitions: evidence from Shenzhen Stock Exchange comment letters," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2497-2542, June.
    13. Jakub Marszalek & Bogna Kazmierska-Jozwiak & Ewelina Niedzielska, 2022. "The Value of the Acquiring Company and the Success of M&A Transaction in the Automotive Sector," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 160-176.
    14. Wang, Muyun & Zhang, Ying, 2024. "Excess goodwill and enterprise litigation risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    15. Guo, Jianquan & Cheng, He, 2024. "Performance feedback on sales growth and M&A: Evidence from China," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    16. Spyros Arvanitis & Tobias Stucki, 2014. "How Swiss small and medium-sized firms assess the performance impact of mergers and acquisitions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 339-360, February.
    17. Na Qin & Yiping Liu, 2022. "Performance Compensation Commitment in Mergers and Acquisitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Pandey, Dharen Kumar & Kumar, Satish & Kumari, Vineeta & Alahdal, Waleed M., 2024. "Quaking the stock market: Event study evidence on the Turkey-Syria earthquake," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 182-194.
    19. Ke, Dun-Yao & Su, Xuan-Qi, 2024. "How Do Elite-Educated CEOs Choose the M&A Payment Method? Evidence from Taiwan," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    20. Fung, Ka Wai Terence & Wan, Wilson, 2013. "The Impact of Merger and Acquisition on Value at Risk (VaR): A Case Study of China Eastern Airline," MPRA Paper 52568, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:79:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325005835. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.