Mergers and Acquisitions Attorneys Job Description, Duties & Salary

Outlook

Mergers and acquisitions attorneys will have good employment opportunities in the coming years. Industry reports indicate that merger and acquisition activity will continue as companies look to expand their businesses.

The state of the economy determines the level of corporate mergers and acquisitions. For example, as stated by an industry expert cited in a Forbes article, during a slow economy, more companies will aim to merge with or acquire companies that are of high quality that can add to their bottom line. Federal regulations also affect M&A activity, such as regulations in the energy and tech sectors. Regulations that are friendlier for oil and gas production may generate more mergers and acquisitions in those sectors. Of these two sectors, however, the technology industry is expected to be the fastest growing. Its high level of merger and acquisition activity is expected to continue.

The one sector that may experience slow or little M&A growth is the health care industry. Factors that affect this industry include whether the Affordable Care Act will be repealed and replaced, and whether drug companies that conduct international business will be allowed to participate in tax amnesty programs.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that lawyers overall will have 9 percent employment growth through 2028, which is about as fast as the average. Major corporations will continue to need attorneys that specialize in mergers and acquisitions to help them review and negotiate deals that are most beneficial for their businesses. Competition for jobs will be keen. Mergers and acquisitions attorneys who have passed the bar, have related work experience, and are willing to relocate to another state will have the best job prospects. This may entail taking another bar examination to practice in that state.

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