Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Kirkland & Ellis were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the consumer sector during the first three quarters (Q1-Q3) of 2025 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 Financial Deals Database reveals that Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom achieved its leading position in terms of value by advising on $31.1 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 23 deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Kirkland & Ellis was the top adviser by volume during Q1-Q3 2024 and retained its leadership position by this metric during Q1-Q3 2025 as well. Moreover, it also occupied the sixth position by value during Q1-Q3 2025.

“Meanwhile, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom’s ranking by value improved from the third position during Q1-Q3 2024 to the top position during Q1-Q3 2025. Despite registering a year-on-year drop in the total value of deals advised by it during Q1-Q3 2025, it stayed well ahead of its peers in terms of value due to some big-ticket deals. During Q1-Q3 2025, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom advised on five billion-dollar deals* that also included a mega deal valued more than $20 billion.

A&O Shearman occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $23.5 billion worth of deals, followed by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison with $23.1 billion, Stibbe with $23.1 billion, and Davis Polk & Wardwell with $14.2 billion.

Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins occupied the second position in terms of volume with 14 deals, followed by Baker McKenzie with 12 deals, A&O Shearman with 11 deals, and CMS with 11 deals.

*Valued more than or equal to $1 billion