Kirkland & Ellis tops Europe M&A legal adviser rankings by value in H1 2026, White & Case leads by volume

Kirkland & Ellis topped the European mergers and acquisitions ineligible advisor rankings by woody worth successful the archetypal six months of 2026, portion White & Case was archetypal by woody count, according to GlobalData.

Using information from its Financial Deals Database, GlobalData said Kirkland & Ellis advised connected transactions worthy $83.9bn. White & Case was progressive successful 75 deals, the highest full by volume.

In the worth ranking, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison was 2nd with $74bn, followed by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett connected $66.5bn, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer connected $63.3bn and Latham & Watkins connected $49.8bn.

In the measurement table, CMS placed 2nd with 68 deals. DLA Piper followed with 64, portion Cuatrecasas advised connected 56 and Latham & Watkins connected 49.

GlobalData pb expert Aurojyoti Bose commented: "White & Case's ranking by measurement improved from the 2nd presumption successful H1 2025 to the apical presumption successful H1 2026. It besides held the seventh presumption by worth successful H1 2026.

"Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis, contempt advising connected overmuch lesser fig of deals, managed to pb by worth owed to its engagement successful big-ticket deals. During H1 2026, it advised connected six billion-dollar deals* that besides included 2 mega deals valued much than $10 billion."

GlobalData's league tables are based connected the real-time tracking of thousands of institution websites, advisory steadfast websites and different reliable sources disposable connected the secondary domain. A dedicated squad of analysts monitors each these sources to stitchery in-depth details for each deal, including advisor names. 

To guarantee further robustness to the data, the institution also seeks submissions of deals from starring advisers. 

"Kirkland & Ellis tops Europe M&A ineligible advisor rankings by worth successful H1 2026, White & Case leads by measurement " was primitively created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.