Simpson Thacher Widens Lead as Top M&A Law Firm in Choppy Market

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett strengthened its position as Big Law’s top mergers and acquisitions adviser, even as deals activity returned to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2022.

Global deals totaled $2.1 trillion through June. That’s down 17% from the same time in 2021, when M&A activity soared to record highs.

Simpson Thacher expanded its work by more than 40%, despite the overall slowdown, advising on 103 deals worth $360 billion in the first six months. The firm nearly doubled its closest competitor, perennial dealmaker Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, which advised on $185 billion in transactions.

Choppy equity ...