Ranking tables
Corporate/M&A: £800 million and above | UK
London (Firms)
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Senior Statespeople
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
George Knighton Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP9 Years Ranked- Iain Fenn Linklaters11 Years Ranked
Nicholas A Cline Latham & Watkins16 Years Ranked
Nick Rumsby Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP11 Years Ranked
Stephen Wilkinson Herbert Smith Freehills13 Years Ranked
Tihir Sarkar Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP16 Years Ranked
Will Pearce Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP14 Years Ranked
Band 4
Andrew Hutchings Freshfields8 Years Ranked
Ben Spiers Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP11 Years Ranked
Edward Barnett Latham & Watkins11 Years Ranked- Jannan Crozier Baker McKenzie2 Years Ranked
Jennifer Bethlehem Freshfields3 Years Ranked
Katherine Moir Clifford Chance LLP5 Years Ranked
Mark Bardell Herbert Smith Freehills4 Years Ranked
Melissa Fogarty Clifford Chance LLP3 Years Ranked
Oliver Lazenby Freshfields10 Years Ranked
Seth Jones A&O Shearman6 Years Ranked- Simon Branigan Linklaters3 Years Ranked
Thomas J Mercer Ashurst6 Years Ranked- Jeremy KutnerSullivan & Cromwell LLP
Band 5
Charles Currier CMS14 Years Ranked
David Avery-Gee Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP7 Years Ranked- Derek Tong Linklaters1 Years Ranked
Gavin Davies Herbert Smith Freehills5 Years Ranked
Harry Coghill Macfarlanes LLP1 Years Ranked- James Inglis Linklaters9 Years Ranked
Nallini Puri Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP2 Years Ranked
Patrick Sarch White & Case LLP9 Years Ranked
Paul Whitelock Norton Rose Fulbright12 Years Ranked
Philip Cheveley Sidley Austin LLP16 Years Ranked
Richard Browne A&O Shearman4 Years Ranked
Richard Butterwick Latham & Watkins2 Years Ranked
Richard Hough A&O Shearman18 Years Ranked- Sally Wokes Slaughter and May1 Years Ranked
Sam Newhouse Latham & Watkins5 Years Ranked- Steven Fox Clifford Chance LLP6 Years Ranked
Victoria MacDuff Slaughter and May2 Years Ranked
Up and Coming
Associates to watch
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 A&O ShearmanCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 3 Years RankedA&O Shearman maintains a renowned practice with a strong pedigree in cross-border deals, assisted by an extensive network of offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. It is frequently instructed on transactions in the TMT, energy and consumer goods sectors, as well as financial services and healthcare. The department demonstrates excellent strength in corporate financing work, drawing from a pool of financing and capital markets experts to offer a full M&A service. Its typical deal size ranges from the hundreds of millions to the multibillions.
1 Clifford Chance LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 3 Years RankedClifford Chance remains a leading choice for transactional work. It often handles deals in the financial services, energy and retail sectors, among others. The transactions it advises on often carry a value of £1 billion or above. Its client base includes FTSE100 corporates and household-name financial institutions. The department regularly assists with complex cross-border mandates, with a notable emerging markets practice in Africa. Clifford Chance's corporate service is bolstered by strong competition and regulatory compliance expertise.
1 FreshfieldsCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 3 Years RankedFreshfields houses a heavyweight M&A practice with a proven track record in complex domestic and cross-border transactions, calling upon a strong roster of expert transactional lawyers with deep experience in the field. It is considered the first port of call for a distinguished and international client base in industries, including telecommunications, oil and gas, and food and drink. Freshfields has a strong presence across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
1 LinklatersCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 3 Years RankedLinklaters maintains a highly sophisticated corporate practice that enjoys an outstanding reputation for complex M&A work. It consistently acts on landmark cross-border deals, servicing industry-leading clients from the energy, healthcare and TMT sectors, among numerous others. Its clients also benefit from a market-leading borrower-side finance practice that can assist with high-value deal work. Linklaters' extensive international footprint covers Europe, the Americas and Asia.
1 Slaughter and MayCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 3 Years RankedSlaughter and May maintains a commanding position for its skill in the most sophisticated and high-value transactional work, especially public M&A. It can call upon a deep bench of lawyers capable of handling domestic and cross-border deals of the highest complexity. Its enviable roster of clients includes numerous FTSE100 companies operating across a range of sectors, including technology and financial services. The firm retains close relationships with investment banks and private equity sponsors.
Band 2
2 Herbert Smith Freehills LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 2 | 3 Years RankedHerbert Smith Freehills has a well-regarded practice that is often instructed on high-value cross-border transactions and prominent acquisition and disposal deals, earning a strong reputation for its abilities in public M&A. Its client base includes numerous well-known blue-chip companies, leading investment banks and sovereign wealth funds. The department's broad sector expertise spans financial services, technology and real estate.
2 Latham & WatkinsCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 2 | 3 Years RankedLatham & Watkins enjoys a strong platform for international deal work, with considerable strength in transactions involving Europe, Asia and the US. It assists clients on a range of matters, including distressed M&A and ECM, and its transactions often have values in the billions. The department's impressive client base includes notable names from a wide range of sectors. Latham & Watkins retains close relationships with private equity sponsors and investment banks.
2 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 2 | 3 Years RankedSkadden offers an exceptional platform for transatlantic corporate deals, with recognised strength in cross-border M&A and US inbound work. It demonstrates considerable strength on domestic and pan-European matters. The department's impressive bench covers numerous sectors, including pharmaceutical, telecommunications, insurance and financial services. Skadden's client base comprises numerous household-name corporations and financial sponsors.
Band 3
3 AshurstCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 3 Years RankedAshurst represents corporates and financial institutions across a range of sectors, including infrastructure, real estate and natural resources. Its expertise spans big-ticket transactions, joint ventures and sponsor-side advisory work for investment banks on M&A. Ashurst's domestic expertise combines with experience across Europe and North America.
3 Baker McKenzieCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 3 Years RankedBaker McKenzie has extensive experience in cross-border transactions, aided by an impressive international presence that gives it access to the European, pan-American and Asia-Pacific markets. It is often instructed by leading names in the technology, industrial, consumer goods and healthcare sectors. The department is able to benefit from the firm's tax planning practice, merger control expertise, and dedicated post-acquisition units.
3 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 3 Years RankedCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is often engaged in complex multijurisdictional transactions, with deep expertise in deals involving Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It represents a broad range of clients, including financial institutions, private equity firms, public companies and private entities.
3 Macfarlanes LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 3 Years RankedMacfarlanes boasts a leading practice that is able to advise on deals of both under and above £1 billion. It has experience of advising high-profile names on a range of transactions, including acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. It is well versed in high-end deals, often acting on international mandates for corporates and financial institutions. The department is also regularly called upon to advise management and director teams on M&A. It has broad international capabilities and has experience of deals involving the US, Europe and Australasia.
Band 4
4 Davis Polk & Wardwell LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedDavis Polk has a strong London offering whose UK and US-qualified lawyers handle a range of corporate transactions, notably those with transatlantic dimensions. Its client base of public and private companies and investment banks looks to the firm for counsel in high-end M&A. The department has demonstrable capabilities in the TMT, financial services and energy sectors.
4 Hogan LovellsCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedHogan Lovells has significant experience in international M&A, including transatlantic deals involving clients from the regulated industries. Its areas of focus include energy and natural resources, financial services, life sciences and media. It regularly works with well-known corporates, financial investors and institutions. The department has additional cross-border experience of deals involving Europe and Asia.
4 Jones DayCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedJones Day has an established practice that is frequently engaged on high-end and mid-market transactions such as acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. Its international network enables it to maintain strength in international deals, particularly in Europe, Asia and the US. The firm's areas of focus include transactions in the real estate, life sciences, industrial and defence sectors.
4 Norton Rose FulbrightCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedNorton Rose Fulbright is well known for its expertise in complex cross-border transactions, including deals in Europe, the Americas and Africa. It is highly regarded for its expertise in the energy and commodities fields, and has experience of acting for clients in the technology, healthcare and transport industries. The department's client base is composed of significant corporates and investment banks.
4 Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedWeil, Gotshal & Manges is often called upon to advise on high-value international M&A, particularly with regard to transactions involving Europe, the USA and Asia. It maintains a broad sector coverage that includes companies in the TMT, retail, energy, healthcare, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. The department also retains connections with investment banks, financial advisers and major private equity houses.
4 White & Case LLPCorporate/M&A: £800 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 3 Years RankedWhite & Case is well placed to advise on cross-border matters, including M&A, joint ventures and disposals, supported by a strong network of international offices across the EMEA region, Asia and the USA. It is experienced in deal work across a range of sectors, including infrastructure, telecommunications and financial services. White & Case acts for corporates and financial institutions, including advising financial sponsors on M&A. It also represents clients in shareholder activism situations.