Simpson Thacher & Bartlett tops Europe M&A legal adviser rankings by value in Q1 2026, CMS leads by volume

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and CMS headed the European mergers and acquisitions ineligible advisor rankings successful the archetypal 4th of 2026, taking the apical spots by woody worth and woody number respectively, based connected GlobalData’s latest league table.

Figures from GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database amusement Simpson Thacher & Bartlett was progressive successful transactions worthy a combined $48.2bn, placing it archetypal by value.

Kirkland & Ellis was adjacent with $45.5bn, followed by A&O Shearman connected $37.2bn, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer connected $21.6bn and White & Case connected $18bn.

In the ranking by fig of deals, CMS came archetypal with 37 transactions.

White & Case took 2nd spot with 32 deals, up of DLA Piper with 30. A&O Shearman recorded 27 deals, portion Latham & Watkins advised connected 22.

Aurojyoti Bose, pb expert astatine GlobalData, commented: “CMS was the apical advisor by measurement successful Q1 2025 and retained its enactment successful presumption by this metric successful Q1 2026 arsenic well, contempt registering a year-on-year (YoY) driblet successful the fig of deals advised.

“Meanwhile, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s ranking by worth jumped from the 21st presumption successful Q1 2025 to the apical presumption successful 2026. The engagement successful $33.4bn woody for the acquisition of AES by consortium of acquirers played a pivotal relation successful Simpson Thacher & Bartlett securing the apical spot by worth successful Q1 2026.”

GlobalData’s league tables are based connected the real-time tracking of thousands of institution websites, advisory firm websites and different reliable sources disposable connected the secondary domain. A dedicated squad of analysts monitors all 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.

"Simpson Thacher & Bartlett tops Europe M&A ineligible advisor rankings by worth successful Q1 2026, CMS leads by measurement " was primitively created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.

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