Vinson & Elkins and Kirkland & Ellis were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the oil & gas sector in Q1 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 Financial Deals Database reveals that Vinson & Elkins achieved the top position in terms of value by advising on $8.5 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 13 deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Kirkland & Ellis and Vinson & Elkins were the only advisers with double-digit deal volume in Q1 2023 and there was a close competition between these two firms for the top position by volume. Vinson & Elkins fell short of just one deal from occupying the top position by volume and settled for the second position by this metric with 12 deals.

“Similarly, Kirkland & Ellis, apart from leading by volume, also occupied the third position by value in Q1 2023.”

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton occupied the second position in terms of value by advising on $5.8 billion worth of deals, followed by Kirkland & Ellis with $4.4 billion, Bracewell with $4 billion, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld with $4 billion.

Meanwhile, Bracewell occupied the third position in terms of volume with five deals, CMS with five deals, and Sidley Austin with four deals.