The latest Legal Advisers League Table from GlobalData has spotlighted Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Kirkland & Ellis as the foremost global M&A legal advisors by deal value and volume, respectively, for the first half (H1) of 2024.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database shows that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom claimed the top spot in deal value by advising on transactions totalling $193.5bn. Concurrently, Kirkland & Ellis led the volume rankings with a total of 263 deals.
Aurojyoti Bose, GlobalData’s lead analyst highlighted that Kirkland & Ellis was the only firm to advise on over 200 deals during H1 2024, making it the unrivalled leader in both volume and significant deal activity.
Bose said: “Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which led by value in H1 2024, advised on 34 billion-dollar deals (deals valued at $1bn or over) that also included six mega deals valued at more than $10bn. Apart from leading by value, the adviser also occupied the sixth position by volume during the period.”
Source: GlobalData financial deals database
Kirkland & Ellis secured the second position in deal value, advising on transactions totalling $189.9bn. They were followed by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison with $162bn, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz with $153.8bn, and Latham & Watkins with $143.3bn.
In terms of deal volume, CMS ranked second with 135 deals, followed by White & Case with 113 deals, Latham & Watkins with 101 deals, and Baker McKenzie with 80 deals.
Earlier in February, GlobalData named financial services group UBS the top financial advisor for mergers and acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific group in 2023.
