As demand for insight into the opaque corners of the financial world accelerates, buyers are increasingly zeroing in on middle-market private market data providers, where attorneys say consolidation is poised to intensify.

After a string of large private-market data deals in recent years, attorneys told Law360 they anticipate increased activity both at the top of the market and among middle- and lower-market players.

This expectation comes as private markets continue to attract investor capital and the information gap between public and private companies widens, driving demand for data to help value assets and price deals.

"The more good data you have, the better you're going to be able to inform yourself on valuation and identifying trends, versus later, when you could fall behind the curve," Maria Granholm, vice chair of Duane Morris LLP's mergers and acquisitions division, told Law360 in an interview. 

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