Kirkland & Ellis Tops North American Mergers and Acquisitions Legal Advisors in First Half of 2025
In the first half of 2025, Kirkland & Ellis has taken the lead as the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal adviser in North America, according to a report by data and analytics company, GlobalData. The firm advised on a staggering total of 197 deals, collectively amounting to $161.7bn in value, making it the clear frontrunner in the region.
Globally, Kirkland & Ellis also held the top spot, advising on 225 deals worth a remarkable $190.3 billion. The firm's success in the M&A market was not only limited to North America, as it outpaced its peers in terms of value during H1 2025, despite a year-on-year decline.
Kirkland & Ellis's dominance in the M&A market was particularly pronounced in terms of volume. The firm was the only adviser with triple-digit deal volume in H1 2025, significantly ahead of its peers. Five of the deals advised by Kirkland & Ellis during this period were mega deals valued more than $10bn, and the firm advised on 30 billion-dollar deals.
Latham & Watkins ranked second in terms of value for M&A deals in H1 2025, advising on deals worth $147.5bn. In terms of deal volume, Latham & Watkins also ranked second with 99 deals during the same period. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher ranked fourth in terms of deal volume with 65 deals.
Ropes & Gray ranked third in terms of deal volume for M&A deals in H1 2025, with 69 deals. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison ranked fourth in terms of value for M&A deals, with deals amounting to $124.8bn, and Cravath Swaine & Moore ranked fifth in terms of value with deals amounting to $120.9bn.
GlobalData's league tables are based on real-time tracking of thousands of company and advisory firm websites, as well as other reliable sources. The company seeks submissions of deals from leading advisers to ensure further robustness of the data. GlobalData's team of analysts, led by Aurojyoti Bose, monitors all these sources to gather in-depth details for each deal, including adviser names.
In conclusion, Kirkland & Ellis has proven to be the top legal adviser in North America for M&A deals in the first half of 2025, both by value and volume. The firm's success in the M&A market is a testament to its expertise and the trust placed in it by leading companies in the region.
In the global financial landscape of H1 2025, Kirkland & Ellis continued to lead in the M&A market, not only in terms of volume but also value, advising on 225 deals worth $190.3 billion. With their expertise, Kirkland & Ellis is also making significant strides in investing by advising on 30 billion-dollar deals, including five mega deals worth more than $10bn.
