GlobalData has announced the latest Financial and Legal Adviser League Tables, which rank advisers by the total value and volume of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals they advised on in the financial services sector during H1 2025.
Financial Advisers
Evercore and Houlihan Lokey top M&A financial advisers in financial services sector in H1 2025
Evercore and Houlihan Lokey were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) financial advisers in the financial services sector during the first half (H1) of 2025 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest financial advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database has revealed that Evercore achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $38.6 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Houlihan Lokey led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 25 deals.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Both Houlihan Lokey and Evercore registered year-on-year growth in terms of deal volume and value, respectively, in H1 2025 and their rankings by these metrics also showcased improvement. Houlihan Lokey had more than a double-fold jump in the total number of deals advised by it in H1 2025 compared to H1 2024, and its ranking by deal volume also improved from 12th to the top position during the same period.
“Similarly, Evercore registered 23.3% growth in the total value of deals advised by it and went ahead from occupying the fifth position by value in H1 2024 to top the chart by this metric in H1 2025. The involvement in $24 billion deal for the acquisition of Worldpay by Global Payments helped Evercore register a jump in deal value. Apart from leading by value, Evercore also held the eighth position by volume during H1 2025.”
JP Morgan occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $36.2 billion worth of deals, followed by Barclays with $31.8 billion, Morgan Stanley with $30.9 billion and UBS with $29.1 billion.
Meanwhile, Piper Sandler occupied the second position in terms of volume with 19 deals, followed by Stifel/KBW with 17 deals, JP Morgan with 14 deals and UBS with 12 deals.
Legal Advisers
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird top M&A legal advisers in financial services sector in H1 2025
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Alston & Bird were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the financial services sector during the first half (H1) of 2025 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest legal advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Ana analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database has revealed that Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $54.3 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Alston & Bird led in terms of volume by advising on a total of 24 deals.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz was the top adviser by value in H1 2024 and managed to retain its leadership position by this metric in H1 2025 as well. In fact, it was the only adviser to surpass the $50 billion mark in total deal value during H1 2025. Due to its involvement in big-ticket deals in H1 2025, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz registered more than 25% year-on-year growth in the total value of deals advised by it. During H1 2025, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz advised on three mega deals valued more than $10 billion.
“Meanwhile, Alston & Bird saw more than 30% growth in the total number of deals advised by it during H1 2025 compared to H1 2024. And its ranking by volume also improved from the second position in H1 2024 to the top position in H1 2025.”
Latham & Watkins occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $41 billion worth of deals, followed by Cravath Swaine & Moore with $37.8 billion, Kirkland & Ellis with $28 billion and Paul Hastings with $24.3 billion.
Meanwhile, Kirkland & Ellis occupied the second position in terms of volume with 19 deals, followed by White & Case with 17 deals, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz with 15 deals and Debevoise & Plimpton with 15 deals.
