Latham Tops Kirkland for M&A Crown in Year Marked by Megadeals

Latham & Watkins expects the brisk pace of deals work to continue in the new year after dethroning Kirkland & Ellis as Big Law’s top mergers and acquisitions adviser in 2025.

“I always find that a good indicator is how many sell-side processes you have in the pipeline, and we have more than ever,” said Alex Kelly, global co-chair of Latham’s M&A and private equity practice. “We’re definitely going to be gearing up for a very busy 2026.”

The M&A powerhouse guided global deals worth about $786.7 billion, topping rivals Kirkland ($743.3 billion), and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz ($621.2 ...