Kirkland & Ellis emerged as the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal adviser in the technology, media & telecom (TMT) sector for 2021 by both value and volume, according to GlobalData, which noted that Kirkland & Ellis advised on 360 deals worth $192.2 billion. The leading data and analytics company revealed that there was a total of 12,585 M&A deals announced in the sector during 2021.

According to GlobalData’s report, ‘Global and Technology, Media & Telecom M&A Report Legal Adviser League Tables 2021’, deal value for the sector increased by 22.2% from $1 trillion in 2020 to $1.3 trillion in 2021.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Kirkland & Ellis was the clear winner in terms of deal volume and value. It was the only firm that managed to advise on more than 300 deals during 2021, with the deals worth just shy of $200 billion.”

Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison occupied the second position in terms of value, with 101 deals worth $174.5 billion; followed by Latham & Watkins, with 215 deals worth $153 billion; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, with 128 deals worth $146.2 billion; and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, with 84 deals worth $143.8 billion.

Latham & Watkins occupied the second position in terms of volume; followed by Willkie Farr & Gallagher, with 208 deals worth $45bn; Fenwick & West with 146 deals worth $31.6 billion; and Baker McKenzie, with 142 deals worth $28.4 billion.