Latham & Watkins and Kirkland & Ellis were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the retail sector in 2023 by value and volume, respectively according to the latest legal advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database reveals that Latham & Watkins achieved its leading position in terms of value by advising on $12.1 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 22 deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Although the number of deals advised by Latham & Watkins remained the same in 2022 and 2023, there was a significant jump in the value of these deals. Resultantly, it went ahead from occupying the 40^th position by value in 2022 to top the chart by this metric in 2023. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis was the top adviser by volume in 2022 and continued to lead by volume in 2023 as well.”

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $10.7 billion worth of deals, followed by Baker McKenzie with $9.1 billion, White & Case with $8.2 billion and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton with $5.2 billion.

Meanwhile, CMS occupied the second position in terms of volume with 20 deals, followed by Baker McKenzie with 13 deals, White & Case with nine deals and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin with nine deals.