Baker & McKenzie received the M&A Advisor’s Healthcare and Life Sciences “Deal of the Year” Award for its representation of AgraQuest in its sale to Bayer CropScience for a total purchase price of close to $500 million. The recognition marks the second consecutive year the firm received the award, having been recognized in 2012 for the firm’s representation of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in its acquisition of Liberty Dialysis Holdings for $1.7 billion.

“Baker & McKenzie represents the best of the cross border M&A industry in 2013 and earned these honors by standing out in a group of very impressive finalists,” said Roger Aguinaldo, CEO and founder of The M&A Advisor.

The firm’s team representing AgraQuest in its sale to Bayer CropScience was led by partners Matthew Gemello (Palo Alto) and Dieter Schmitz (Chicago), and included partner Tiffany Rose (Palo Alto). The complex, multijurisdictional transaction included the sale of AgraQuests R&D site in California and a state-of-the-art production facility for the cost-effective production of biopesticides and biochemicals in Tlaxcala, Mexico. In addition, AgraQuest products were available for sale in over 30 countries worldwide.

“The Baker & McKenzie cross-border team provided excellent support on this significant transaction for our company,” said Christina Huben, former Senior Vice President, general counsel and secretary of AgraQuest, when the deal was announced. “Matthew’s extensive experience with venture-backed emerging-growth technology companies and Dieter’s insight into leading German companies were a perfect complement.”

The firm was also named a finalist in the categories of “M&A Deal of the Year (over $500 million to $1 billion)” and “Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year Award (over $250 million)” for its representation of Medtronic in its acquisition of China Kanghui Holdings. In addition, the firm was named a finalist in the categories of “M&A Deal of the Year (over $250 million to $500 million)” and “Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year Award (over $250 million)” for the firm’s representation of Hospira in its acquisition of API Manufacturing Facility. Schmitz was also named a finalist in the “Dealmaker of the Year” category at the 2012 International M&A Advisor Awards.