A&O Shearman and CMS top Europe M&A legal advisory rankings for Q1-Q3 2025

Core Insights - A&O Shearman and CMS have emerged as the leading legal advisers in European M&A for Q1-Q3 2025, with A&O Shearman leading in deal value and CMS in deal volume [1][2] Deal Value - A&O Shearman advised on transactions totaling $71.7 billion, securing the top position in deal value [1] - The firm participated in 16 billion-dollar deals, including one mega deal valued over $10 billion [3] - Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom ranked second in deal value with $49.3 billion, followed by Latham & Watkins at $37.8 billion, White & Case at $37.2 billion, and Kirkland & Ellis at $29.1 billion [4] Deal Volume - CMS led in deal volume with 185 deals, maintaining its top position from Q1-Q3 2024 [2] - White & Case ranked second in deal volume with 99 deals, followed by A&O Shearman with 95 deals, Cuatrecasas with 76 deals, and Baker McKenzie with 68 deals [4] Data Source and Methodology - The rankings are based on data from GlobalData, which tracks thousands of company and advisory firm websites to gather detailed information on each deal [5]