Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and White & Case were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the retail sector during the first half (H1) of 2026 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest legal advisers league table by GlobalData, which ranks legal advisers by the value and volume of M&A deals on which they advised.

Based on its Financial Deals Database, the leading intelligence and productivity platform revealed that Anderson Mori & Tomotsune achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $2.4 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, White & Case led in terms of volume by advising on a total of eight deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “There was an improvement in the total number of deals advised by White & Case in H1 2026 compared to H1 2025 and its ranking by volume improved from 10^th to the top position during this period.

“Meanwhile, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune’s ranking by value improved from 13^th position in H1 2025 to the top position in H1 2026, despite registering a year-on-year decline in total deal value. It also held the sixth position by volume in H1 2026.”

An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database reveals that Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $1.9 billion worth of deals, followed by Nishimura & Asahi with $1.2 billion, Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners with $1.2 billion, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett with $1.1 billion.

Meanwhile, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett occupied the second position in terms of volume with five deals, followed by Latham & Watkins with five deals, Baker McKenzie with four deals, and A&O Shearman with four deals.