Kirkland & Ellis emerges on top in M&A advisory in first quarter of 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, Kirkland & Ellis has reaffirmed its status as a leading player in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as shown in the recent legal advisers league table update published by GlobalData. Their prominent standing in this realm is adjudged based on their involvement in 108 deals that are valued at an impressive total of $107 billion. Essentially, this ranking is systematically determined by evaluating the value and volume of M&A transactions in which legal advisers provide professional guidance.

Aurojyoti Bose, the lead analyst at GlobalData, extols Kirkland & Ellis for their sterling performance by indicating, “Kirkland & Ellis emerges as the standout performer among its peers spurred by its remarkable achievements in the first quarter of 2025, securing a commanding lead in both deal volume and value. The firm showcased an unmatched prowess by outperforming its contemporaries, being the only entity to have triple-digit deal volume during the review period. The scale of their success is underscored further by being the sole adviser overseeing transactions exceeding $100 billion.”

Comparatively, Davis Polk & Wardwell trailed in second place with an advisory involvement in transactions valued at $77 billion. The legal stalwart Cravath Swaine & Moore comes in closely third with $60.3 billion in their advised deals, not far behind is Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Ropes & Gray, sealing the fifth spot with reported transaction values of $57.4 billion and $56.3 billion, respectively.

In examining the volume of deals, Latham & Watkins occupies the second slot, steering the helm in advising on 67 transactions. CMS claims the third position with an involvement in 51 deals, closely shadowed by White & Case, and Ropes & Gray, overseeing 50 and 49 transactions respectively.

GlobalData prides itself on delivering only the most up-to-date and accurate information in its league tables. The data is meticulously collated through real-time tracking of various company websites, advisory firm pages, and other trustworthy sources within the secondary domain. This thorough process enables a dedicated team of analysts placed at the forefront to engage in monitoring and sourcing in-depth transaction details for each deal, including the names of involved advisers. With data integrity and robustness a priority, GlobalData also encourages reputable advisers to submit their deals for inclusion in their comprehensive rankings.

This unwavering dedication to data accuracy is what solidifies GlobalData’s reputation as a reliable source for updated and comprehensive business insights and intelligence. Through initiative such as this league table, they remain committed to helping businesses across various sectors gain a competitive edge by equipping them with relevant industry knowledge.