Leading law firms Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and Alston & Bird ranked first in M&A legal advisory for the financial sector during the first half of 2025.
In the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within the financial services sector, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird have emerged as the top legal advisers for the first half of 2025, according to GlobalData, a leading UK-based data and analytics company.
GlobalData's league tables, based on the real-time tracking of thousands of company websites, advisory firm websites, and other reliable sources, revealed that Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird topped the league tables specifically for financial services M&A legal advisory in H1 2025. However, the specific deal values and volumes for these advisers were not detailed in the search results provided.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz registered more than 25% year-on-year growth in the total value of deals advised by it, due to its involvement in big-ticket deals in H1 2025. The company advised on three mega deals valued at over $10bn. In terms of deal volume, both Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Debevoise & Plimpton advised on 15 deals each.
On the other hand, Alston & Bird led in deal value, advising on transactions worth $54.3bn, securing the top position. The details of the deals advised by Alston & Bird were not provided. Kirkland & Ellis ranked second in terms of deal volume with 19 deals, while Latham & Watkins secured the second position in terms of deal value, advising on transactions worth $41bn. White & Case followed with 17 deals in terms of deal volume.
GlobalData's robust data insights, considered the gold standard in business intelligence, offer a comprehensive view of the M&A landscape. The company seeks submissions of deals from leading advisers to ensure further robustness to the data. GlobalData's deals database was analyzed to determine the top M&A legal advisers.
It's important to note that in other sectors, such as oil & gas and retail, more detailed data was available. For instance, Kirkland & Ellis led in value and volume in these sectors, but those figures do not pertain to the financial services sector.
GlobalData is known for its business intelligence reports, including the Liechtenstein Insurance Industry - Governance, Risk and Compliance report and the Luxembourg Insurance Industry - Governance, Risk and Compliance report. More information about GlobalData's services can be found on their website.
In conclusion, while the exact figures for deal values and number of deals advised by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird are not available, it is clear that they have played a significant role in the M&A landscape of the financial services sector for the first half of 2025.
- As the H1 2025 financial services M&A landscape evolved, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz demonstrated substantial growth in deal values, owing to their involvement in large transactions using AI and technology, positioning them as key players in the sector.
- Amidst the increasing regulatory scrutiny in the finance industry, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz has demonstrated continued compliance, providing strategic legal advice that aligns with the industry's best practices.
- With the rising integration of AI and technology in various aspects of finance and business, GlobalData offers comprehensive Governance, Risk and Compliance reports, including those for the Liechtenstein Insurance and Luxembourg Insurance industries, to ensure that businesses remain in compliance with ever-evolving regulations.
