Latham & Watkins and Kirkland & Ellis were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the construction sector during 2025 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest legal advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database has revealed that Latham & Watkins achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $35 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 36 deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Kirkland & Ellis was the top adviser by volume in 2024 and retained its leadership position by this metric in 2025 as well, despite a year-on-year drop in the total number of deals advised by it.

“Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins was well ahead of its peers in terms of value. During 2025, Latham & Watkins advised on 14 billion-dollar deals* and involvement in these big-ticket deals helped it secure the top spot by value. Moreover, it also held the third position by volume during 2025.”

An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database reveals that Sullivan & Cromwell occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $26.2 billion worth of deals, followed by White & Case with $23.5 billion, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz with $23.2 billion, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom with $21.7 billion.

Meanwhile, CMS occupied the second position in terms of volume with 36 deals, followed by Latham & Watkins with 34 deals, DLA Piper with 30 deals and Baker McKenzie with 26 deals.

*Deals valued more than or equal to $1 billion