Let's start at the beginning. How do we get our financial advisory and legal advisory shortlists together? Each of the firms who successfully make the shortlist are invited to write half an A4 page pitch. The pitch is handed to a panel of M&A veterans who will review all the entries received, compare it with our league table data and debate who deserves to win. To ensure that local advisers are represented within the country categories, we also nominate the highest ranked locally headquartered advisers to the shortlist.

We will provide the panel with the following M&A data during the judging process:

• Your league table ranking by both value and volume for the category
• The overall deal count and total transaction value for the firm for the category

Your pitch needs to tell the story behind these numbers.

The judges want to know why you deserve to win. An ideal pitch will show how you added value to deal processes, supported clients and offered creative solutions to complex situations.

Your pitch may choose to highlight your successes across several different deals. All corporate and private equity transactions are captured by our shortlisting process and mandates to any party on the deal are valid – buyer, seller or target. Explain why these deals were so important and what you did as an adviser to get them across the line.

Sometimes, one deal says it all. If you worked on a landmark transaction and that single deal tells the story of your year, then make clear you have selected one example to highlight. The judges look for the direct contribution your firm made to the process, especially if you were a lead adviser.

What the judges are asked to ignore:

• Any reference to non-Mergermarket awards and rankings
• Deals that don’t meet our criteria for inclusion in Mergermarket’s database
• Financing or underwriting on deals where you had no M&A mandate
• Legal advice offered to financial advisers only

Some other useful notes:

• The pitches are treated as confidential documents. However, please clearly mark any previously undisclosed information as “confidential”.
• There’s no need for a presentation, illustrations or pitchbooks; just half a page will do fine.
• The mid-market prize includes deals $50-300m (or equivalent).
• Deadline day is Friday 3rd September. Send your entry to michael.lui@acuris.com

And don’t forget…if you make a pitch, you’re in with a chance of winning. The winners will announced on 29 October.