Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird Lead in M&A Legal Advisory for 2025
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird have distinguished themselves as the preeminent mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in terms of deal value and volume, respectively, for the first three quarters (Q1-Q3) of 2025 in the financial services sector.
This ranking was established based on an exhaustive league table report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData’s comprehensive ranking system combines unique data, advanced artificial intelligence, and human expertise to provide unrivalled industry intelligence.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz Top Deal Value Table
GlobalData’s financial deals database reveals that Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz clinched the top spot in the deal value table by advising on deals amounting to $70.2bn. This impressive figure underscores the firm’s expertise and experience in managing high-value transactions, building on its reputation as a top player in the M&A legal landscape.
Alston & Bird Lead in Deal Volume
Alston & Bird demonstrated their M&A prowess by participating in a total of 36 deals, earning them the top spot in the deal volume table. This achievement signals the firm’s commitment to client service, demonstrating their ability to handle a high volume of transactions while maintaining quality service.
Industry Analysis and Trends
Aurojyoti Bose, a lead analyst at GlobalData, noted that Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz maintained its top position by value as it did during Q1-Q3 2024. The firm’s involvement in three mega deals, two of which were valued over $10bn and one at more than $20bn, was pivotal in securing the top spot by value during Q1-Q3 2025.
On the other hand, Alston & Bird showed improvement in the total number of deals they advised during Q1-Q3 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This improvement resulted in a rise in their ranking by volume from the second position to the top spot during the review period.
Other Leading M&A Legal Advisers
Other noteworthy firms in the M&A legal advisory landscape include Cravath Swaine & Moore, which advised on deals worth $44.7bn, followed closely by Latham & Watkins with deals totalling $44.6bn, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom with $38.1bn, and Kirkland & Ellis with $34.9bn in advised deal value.
In terms of volume, Kirkland & Ellis claimed the second spot with 32 deals, followed by White & Case with 29 deals, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz with 23, and Latham & Watkins with 22.
GlobalData’s league tables provide real-time tracking of thousands of company websites, advisory firm websites, and other reliable sources. This data is gathered by a dedicated team of analysts to ensure accuracy and robustness. The original source of this information can be found Here.




