Kirkland & Ellis was the top performing firm for PE-backed M&A globally in 2025, advising on 293 deals worth a total of $274.2bn – more than a quarter of total market value, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
Simpson Thacher was in second place, while Latham & Watkins took the third-place spot in a year that private equity partners said demonstrated the market’s resilience in the face of economic turbulence.
