Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Kirkland & Ellis have emerged as the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers by value and volume globally during the first half (H1) of 2024 in the latest Legal Advisers League Table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database has revealed that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom achieved the leading position in terms of deal value by advising on $193.5 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 263 deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Kirkland & Ellis was the only firm to advise on more than 200 deals during H1 2024. Interestingly, it was also the top adviser by volume as well as value in H1 2023.

“Meanwhile, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which led by value in H1 2024, advised on 34 billion-dollar deals* that also included six mega deals valued more than $10 billion. Apart from leading by value, the adviser also occupied the sixth position by volume during the period.”

Kirkland & Ellis occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $189.9 billion worth of deals followed by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison with $162 billion, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz with $153.8 billion and Latham & Watkins with $143.3 billion.

Meanwhile, CMS occupied the second position in terms of volume by advising on 135 deals followed by White & Case with 113 deals, Latham & Watkins with 101 deals, and Baker McKenzie with 80 deals.

*Deals valued ≥ $1 billion