Kirkland Passes Wachtell as Big Law’s Top Global Dealmaker (1)

Kirkland & Ellis advised companies on more than $443 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions transactions last year, surpassing Wall Street’s Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and other law firms as the largest global dealmaker.

Chicago-founded Kirkland handled 946 transactions in a record-breaking year for global M&A activity. Perennial top dealmaker Wachtell came in second in deal value by principal with 105 transactions worth nearly $403 billion, while Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher, and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom rounded out the top five.

Global M&A activity reached $5 trillion last year, up from $3.5 trillion in 2020, ...