Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton boasts a highly experienced team of dealmakers, capable of handling complex, high-value M&A transactions. The team regularly undertakes high-profile public and private M&A transactions with cross-border complexities in South America, Europe and Asia, across a variety of sectors including life sciences, food and beverages and financial services.  The practice is headed out of New York, with practice co-head Glenn McGrory being particularly well-versed in guiding transactions in the tech sector, while co-heads Paul Shim and David Leinwand boast strong track records in public M&A. Also based out of New York is Kyle Harris, an M&A practitioner reputed for his experience in both private and public M&A, Kimberly Spoerri, noted for her ‘strategic judgement’, and Kelsey Nussenfeld who specialises in advising established technology clients. Benet O’Reilly, who practices out of San Francisco, is relied upon by clients from sectors spanning technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP‘s M&A practice has a strong track record in shepherding complex big-ticket transactions both domestically and internationally, guiding a roster of high-profile entertainment, life sciences and technology clients through the full transactional scope of acquisitions, carve-outs, spin-offs, and joint ventures. Heading the team out of New York, are co-heads Faiza Saeed, Mark Greene, Ting Chen, Aaron Gruber, Richard Hall, and Robert Townsend III. Saeed specialises in handling complex public takeover matters, including takeover defense and proxy contests, while Chen is highly experienced in advising clients across a diverse range of sectors, including healthcare, retail, technology and insurance. Gruber, Hall and Townsend are each highly adept at navigating matters concerning activist defense and fiduciary duties in addition to their transactional expertise. G.J. Ligelis Jr. is particularly well versed in handling cross-border mandates in the technology, telecoms and financial services sectors. George Schoen departed the team in March 2026.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP‘s team of highly skilled dealmakers regularly guides clients from the tech, healthcare, telecoms and retail industries, helping navigate highly complex, big-ticket transactions, with particular strength in advising on high-value sell-side public M&A matters. Leading the practice out of New York, co-head William Aaronson is well versed in handling both public and private M&A mandates, advising a roster of blue-chip pharmaceuticals, telecoms and technology sectors. Meanwhile, co-head Oliver Smith advises both sell-side corporate clients as well as buy-side PE sponsors. Marc Williams specialises in advising financial services clients. The team has been bolstered by the arrival of Michael Diz from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, benefitting from the addition of his significant expertise in handling cross-border pharmaceuticals and life sciences transactions.

The Kirkland & Ellis LLP M&A practice is well versed in handling the full gamut of complex big-ticket cross-border transactions, advising an impressive roster of prominent publicly-listed corporations spanning sectors including technology, healthcare and life sciences. New York-based Daniel Wolf is a highly regarded M&A lawyer, with considerable experience in handling a range of domestic and international transactions and particular expertise advising public company clients on takeovers, shareholder activism defence and contested transactions. Sarkis Jebejian focuses primarily on M&A, shareholder activism and corporate governance matters, while Jonathan Davis is relied upon by high-profile names in the consumer goods and life sciences industries. David Feirstein is equally well versed in advising public companies and private equity sponsors. The team has been reinforced by the recent arrivals of a number of partners from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, including Graham Robinson, based in Boston, who is a key port of call for public M&A in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Covering the full spectrum of M&A transactions, Latham & Watkins‘s M&A team leverages the significant strength of its bench to regularly advise high-profile clients such as publicly-listed blue-chip corporations, both in the US and cross border. The team is regularly engaged by prominent clients from a diverse range of industries, including media, healthcare and technology. The practice is jointly headed by Paul Kukish, Alex Kelly, Brad Faris, James Garrett, Kristen Grannis and Daniel Rees. Operating out of the Bay Area, Mark Bekheit brings significant transactional expertise to established high-profile technology clients. Tad Freese is frequently engaged to lead complex high-value transactions advising both buy and sell-side technology companies and investment banks. Charles Ruck, based in Orange County, combines M&A expertise with capital markets knowledge. The team has been bolstered by the recent arrival of Zachary Podolsky from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, who brings considerable experience in the energy and life sciences sectors.

The Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP M&A team consists of highly skilled practitioners, with considerable expertise in sectors spanning automotive, energy, technology and retail. The group covers the full range of transactional mandates, including M&A, divestitures, public takeovers, shareholder activism defense and proxy fights. The New York-based practice is co-spearheaded by Scott Barshay, a highly regarded transactional lawyer with an impressive track record leading complex transactions for prominent clients in the energy, healthcare, media and telecoms sectors. Co-head James Langston is sought out for his expertise in both private acquisitions and public takeovers, and is particularly active in the life sciences sector. Co-head Jeffrey Marell is experienced in assisting both strategic corporate acquisitions and private equity deals. Krishna Veeraraghavan plays a pivotal role in the firm's M&A activity. The practice has been further strengthened by the arrival of Carmen Lu from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

The ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ M&A practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is well versed in handling big-ticket high-profile matters across a diverse array of industries, with notable work in the media and entertainment, financial services and consumer goods sectors. Practice head Eric Swedenburg, based in New York, possesses extensive transactional experience, handling the full range of corporate work including acquisitions, divestitures and shareholder activism. Anthony Vernace focuses his expertise on public takeovers with a strong presence in the media and entertainment sector. The team can further rely on the transactional experience of Lee Meyerson and Alan Klein. Katherine Krause is relied upon by a number of private equity clients, particularly for her expertise in the infrastructure space, while Jakob Rendtorff is noted for his experience in public and private M&A, handling leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and spin-offs.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP’s M&A practice combines a team of highly experienced M&A practitioners and deep sectoral expertise to undertake an impressive volume of complex big-ticket transactions across sectors ranging from life sciences, media, financial services and consumer goods. The team is spearheaded by Allison Schneirov, based in New York, who advises both corporate clients and financial sponsors on a matters ranging from divestitures, investments, investigations and corporate governance matters. Jeffrey Brill is recommended for his expertise in negotiated and contested acquisitions, dispositions and auction processes. Peter Serating regularly advises clients on shareholder activism, takeover preparedness as well as private acquisitions. David Eisman, based out of Los Angeles, focuses on the media and entertainment, technology and insurance sectors. Richard Witzel is recommended for his expertise in advising on both M&A transactions, and capital markets issuances.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz’s M&A practice is a juggernaut in the transactional market, boasting a team of highly experienced M&A practitioners regularly engaged to handle complex big-ticket domestic and cross-border transactions of both public and private companies. The team is turned to by an impressive list of clients spanning sectors such as technology, financial services, media and entertainment and energy. The New York-based group is jointly spearheaded by Jacob Kling, Adam Emmerich, Steven Rosenblum and David Lam. Kling advises a broad range of public and private clients from industries including banking, healthcare and sports, while Lam is relied upon by a number of notable clients in the life sciences sector for his expertise in cross-border transactions, IPOs, spin-offs and private equity transactions. Emmerich possesses extensive experience advising on public takeovers in the pharmaceuticals industry. Karessa Cain is turned to for her expertise in takeover defense, shareholder activism and proxy contests.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP‘s M&A practice regularly handles big-ticket M&A and private equity transactions, both domestically and in Europe and Asia. The team is frequently engaged by high-profile clients across a diverse range of sectors, including entertainment, financial services and consumer goods. Based in New York, the group is jointly spearheaded by Christopher Anthony and Kevin Rinker; the latter has a strong track record in the healthcare and life sciences sectors, advising on both strategic corporate and private equity transactions. The team can also rely on the experience of Jeffrey Rosen, who advises clients spanning a variety of sectors including telecoms, media and financial services. Spencer Gilbert is recommended for his experience in handling high-value transactions in the software, financial services and industrials spaces. Paul Bird brings extensive experience to a range of mandates including advising on cross-jurisdictional transactions, leveraged buyouts and takeover defenses.

Freshfields M&A practice has impressive strength in-depth on its bench, allowing the team to regularly handle complex M&A transactions for an array of prominent clients spanning the technology, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods sectors. Co-heading the New York-based team is Ethan Klingsberg who is regularly sought out by a host of high-profile clients in the technology sector. Co-head Damien Zoubek is experienced in distressed M&A, shareholder activism defense and bankruptcy auction transactions. Jenny Hochenberg advises a roster of notable retail, shipping and life sciences clients, while Paul Humphreys is recommended for his expertise in both cross-border M&A and private equity transactions. The team has been significantly reinforced recently, with the arrival of a number of notable new partners, including Joshua Ayal who joined from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s M&A practice leverages its integrated multi-disciplinary teams in tax, IP and executive compensation, to advise a host of financial institutions, and is particularly active in the life sciences, healthcare and oil and gas sectors. The team are experienced in handling private M&A, hostile bids and shareholder activism defense. Practice co-head Robert Little, based in Dallas, is particularly active in the oil and gas, telecoms and infrastructure sectors. Co-leading the team from New York is Saee Muzumdar, an experienced transactional lawyer who advises on both public and private M&A acquisitions and divestitures, and is regularly engaged by investment banks. Also based in New York is co-head Barbara Becker, who advises boards of directors and special committees in public takeover transactions. The team has recently been bolstered by the arrival of Sebastian Fain from Freshfields.

The Hogan Lovells US LLP M&A practice is well versed in handling complex big-ticket transactions in various regulated sectors including aerospace, defense and financial services. Co-heading the practice out of New York, William Curtin III  is frequently sought out for his experience in advising both publicly listed entities and private equity sponsors, with a client list that includes prominent names in the automotive, media and entertainment and technology sectors. Co-head Elizabeth Donley, based in Washington DC, has an impressive track record in advising on complex cross-border M&A transactions. Meanwhile, operating in Silicon Valley is co-head Keith Flaum, who focuses his transactional skills on advising several high-profile technology and life sciences clients. New York-based Peter Cohen-Millstein is noted for his experience in handling public M&A in the mining, energy and pharmaceutical industries.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP‘s M&A practice possesses significant transactional expertise, regularly engaged by a host of public and private companies in the life sciences, technology and financial services sectors, as well as several established private equity sponsors. The team is especially adept in hostile takeovers, takeover defence and shareholder activism scenarios. Co-leading the team from New York, Michael Aiello is a highly-regarded M&A specialist with considerable experience leading big-ticket transactions in sectors spanning life sciences, oil & gas, and retail. Co-head Michael Lubowitz handles an array of transactional mandates including hostile tender offers, spin-offs and private equity transactions. Co-head Matthew Gilroy is relied upon by a host of prominent clients in the financial services, energy and consumer goods industries. Sachin Kohli is recommended for his experience navigating complex cross-border public and private M&A transactions.

Baker McKenzie leverages its deep cross-jurisdictional presence to assist both domestic and international clients on a range of transactional matters, including acquisitions, carve-outs, spin-offs and divestitures. The team is well regarded for its proficiency in leading transactions in the energy, retail and technology sectors. Based in New York, the practice is spearheaded by Alan Zoccolillo, who is a key port of call for a host of notable clients in the healthcare sector. The team can also rely on Chicago-based Michael DeFranco, whose expertise includes private M&A as well as contested and negotiated public acquisitions and divestitures. David Malliband specialises in cross-border transactions, with experience practising in the US, UK and Australia. Aarthi Belani, based out of Palo Alto, focuses on the life sciences and technology sectors.

White & Case LLP‘s M&A group leverages the firm’s deep strength on the bench to advise on a range of complex, high-value, cross-border M&A transactions, with particular strength in the energy, retail, technology and financial services sectors. Team co-head Michael Deyong is sought out by a number of high-profile energy and telecoms clients, while co-head Kimberly Petillo-Décossard is well-versed in advising both private and publicly-listed companies on transactions. John Reiss is a seasoned M&A lawyer with considerable expertise in advising both strategic corporate transactions as well as private equity deals. Gregory Pryor is recommended for his proficiency in handling complex matters in the retail, mining and oil and gas sectors. All team members mentioned above are located in New York.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has a destination M&A practice, with a deep bench of lawyers regularly engaged to assist on high-value cross-border deals spanning take-privates, carve-outs, spin-offs, divestitures and de-SPAC transactions. The team leverages its impressively deep bench strength to assist clients spanning a diverse array of sectors, including technology, financial services, telecoms and energy. Situated in New York, the team is co-headed by David Boston, Russell Leaf and Adam Turteltaub. Boston is a well-regarded transactional practitioner who combines M&A expertise with capital markets knowledge to advise both public and private companies. Leaf is particularly active in the healthcare, technology and infrastructure sectors, while Turteltaub is sought out for his big-ticket, cross-border dealmaking experience. The team has been further strengthened by the recent arrivals of Heather Weigel and Brian Hamilton from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP  and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP respectively.

The Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP M&A team is particularly well regarded for its expertise in providing both buy and sell-side advice to a host of financial institutions and publicly-listed corporations in the technology, telecoms and consumer goods sectors. The team handles the full spectrum of M&A work including public takeovers, take privates, divestitures and carve-outs, often advising on deals with significant cross-border complexities. Leading the New York-based team, co-practice head Philip Richter is an experienced transactional lawyer regularly engaged to assist an array of financial advisors in both public and private M&A transactions. Co-head Steven Epstein counsels a host of public-listed companies in the healthcare and technology sectors. Stephen Amdur joined the firm from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in 2026.

The M&A practice at Goodwin encompasses the full range of M&A and private equity work, relied upon by a host of private and publicly-listed corporations, PE funds and financial advisors. The team is particularly proficient in handling buy-side matters in the life sciences, healthcare, and technology sectors. Co-head Joshua Zachariah, based in New York, is highly regarded for his transactional expertise in the healthcare and technology sectors. Meanwhile, co-head Lawrence Chu has built a strong track record advising technology clients out of the firm’s Silicon Valley office. Michael Kendall, who co-heads the team from the Boston office, focuses on advising an array of private equity and venture capital funds on leveraged buyouts and early and late-stage investments.

The Linklaters LLP M&A team deliver strategic advice on high-value transactions in a number of regulated and unregulated sectors, with a notable roster of clients in the chemicals, mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. The team leverages the firm’s international presence to lead transactions ranging from acquisitions to carve-outs and divestitures. Co-leading the team from New York is George Casey, a highly-regarded M&A practitioner with an impressive track record in the automotive, energy, ESG and technology spaces. Co-head Heiko Schiwek advises both domestic and international clients on matters ranging from public takeovers, strategic investments and joint venture transactions. The team has been bolstered by the recent arrivals of Elena Rubinov and Kristina Trauger, from Mayer Brown and Proskauer Rose LLP, respectively.

Leveraging the firm’s international reach, the M&A team at A&O Shearman regularly advises on cross-jurisdictional transactions for an array of publicly-listed companies. The team assists a range of notable clients from the technology, life sciences and retail industries. The New York-based team is co-headed by Scott Petepiece, who is well versed in public takeovers, take-privates, spinoffs and proxy contests. Co-head Alain Dermarkar is particularly active in the Texas market, advising a host of private equity clients in strategic acquisitions across the manufacturing, aerospace and construction sectors. Daniel Litowitz represents an impressive roster of high-profile clients in entertainment, media and telecoms industries.

The M&A practice at Baker Botts L.L.P. operates at the intersection of the technology and energy sectors. The team is particularly active in the renewable energies space, assisting clients with both public and private M&A transactions. The practice is co-led out of Dallas by Samantha Hale Crispin, who possesses significant experience leading complex high-value acquisitions, spin-offs and split-offs and joint ventures. Practice co-head Natasha Khan, based out of Houston, possesses both M&A and capital markets expertise. Jonathan Gordon is recommended for his expertise in cross-border transactions in media and telecoms.

Cooley LLP‘s M&A practice frequently handles high-value cross-border transactions in the life sciences, technology and sports sectors, combining M&A capabilities with capital markets and regulatory advice. The team is led out of San Francisco by Jamie Leigh, who has developed a strong client book of leading technology clients, assisting both boards and special committees on takeovers, activist defence and proxy contests. Rama Padmanabhan and Rowook Park, both based out of San Diego, are particularly well versed in handling transactions in the life sciences and biotech sectors. Bill Sorabella focuses on public M&A with a strong track record in energy, financial services and retail clients.

The ‘extremely knowledgeable’ M&A team at Dechert advises on a range of public and private M&A transactions, as well as private equity buyouts. The practice possesses a particularly strong track record in the healthcare, financial services and industrials sectors. Co-leading the team from New York, Mark Thierfelder focuses on advising a host of private equity funds on both domestic and cross-border transactions. Co-head Kenneth Young specialises in high-value transactions within the technology, financial services and energy sectors. The team can also rely on the transactional expertise of Michael Darby, Eric Siegel and Stephen Pratt. Darby is adept at advising publicly-listed companies, while Pratt and Siegel focus on the financial services and life sciences industries respectively. Joanna Lin joined the Dallas team in January 2026.

Turned to by an impressive roster of financial services, aviation and infrastructure clients, the M&A practice at Milbank is adept at navigating complex transactional and regulatory hurdles in both public and private M&A transactions. Notably, the team advised the United States Steel Corporation in its highly publicised $14.98bn merger with Nippon Steel Corporation in 2025. The New York-based team is co-headed by John Franchini who is well regarded for his expertise within the energy and infrastructure sector. Meanwhile, co-head Dean Sattler possesses a particularly strong track record in asset-based transactions.

Morrison Foerster‘s M&A team has a comprehensive offering across the technology sector, allowing the team to advise on complex transactions for established clients in the industry. Additionally, the team is well versed in handling high-value mandates in the life sciences and healthcare industries. Co-heading the team from San Francisco is Eric McCrath, who is regularly relied upon by a host of high-profile tech clients including SoftBank, Uber and Visa. Co-head Spencer Klein, based in New York, is an experienced transaction lawyer with a strong track record in advising on acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. Co-head Erik Knudsen, also located in San Francisco, notably co-chairs the firm’s dedicated semiconductors practice group, handling strategic M&A and private equity buyouts within the sector. Co-head Brandon Parris is active in the media, entertainment and automotive sectors.

Sidley Austin LLP‘s M&A practice is home to a team of highly skilled transactional lawyers, experienced in handling complex private and public M&A transactions, in both unregulated and regulated sectors, including insurance, financial services and life sciences. The team is particularly well regarded for its expertise in shareholder activism defence matters. Co-heading the team from Chicago are Paul Choi and Perry Shwachman, with Choi having a strong track record in public takeover defence, proxy fights and public M&A transactions, and Shwachmann regularly relied upon by insurance and financial services clients. Co-head Mehdi Khodadad is based in Los Angeles, while co-head David Grubman, who recently joined the team from Jones Day, practices from the firm’s New York office.

With offices in New York, Philadelphia, and the British Virgin Islands, the M&A team at Sterlington PLLC is highly experienced in completing complex, high-value transactions across many sophisticated industries, including the retail, media, and technology sectors. Leading the team out of New York is Christopher Harrison, who has built a reputation for advising domestic and international clients on high-profile transactions. Other key contributors to the team include Jeremy Goldstein, who works alongside founders and CEOs in large corporate transactions in the data and manufacturing industries, and Michael Gilligan, who has extensive experience in handling domestic and cross-border M&A deals, as well as dispositions and restructurings.

Vinson & Elkins LLP is particularly active on energy, infrastructure and financial services transactions, assisting clients on complex cross-border public and private M&A acquisitions on a regular basis. Integrating cross-practice capabilities in antitrust, tax and employment, the team is equally well equipped to handle private equity transactions. Practice co-head John Grand, based out of Dallas, is relied upon by a host of clients in the energy and oil & gas sectors. Co-head Sebastian Tiller, located in New York, is highly experienced in assisting on M&A and private equity mandates. Co-leading from the Houston office is Lande Spottswood, combining both M&A and capital markets expertise with a particular focus on technology and infrastructure matters.

Akin‘s M&A team is primarily active in the energy, tech and financial services sectors, leveraging integrated expertise from its tax, intellectual property and real estate teams, to advise on strategic platform acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, tender offers and take-private transactions. Co-leading the team out of Dallas are Wesley Williams and Thomas Yang, with Williams focusing on oil and gas sector clients, and Yang combining his M&A experience with capital markets expertise. Practice co-head Zachary Wittenberg is based out of the firm’s New York office, and specialises in distressed M&A transactions.

Working closely with the global antitrust and FDI team, the M&A practice at Clifford Chance is highly experienced in handling cross-border transactions, with particular experience in the insurance, life sciences and energy sectors. Located in New York, the team is co-headed by Benjamin Sibbett and Chang-Do Gong. Sibbett regularly leads multi-jurisdictional teams to advise on big-ticket transactions in the technology space. Gong regularly handles strategic acquisitions within the energy and infrastructure space.

The M&A practice at O'Melveny fields a team of experienced practitioners, handling a range of transactions that include public and private M&A, carve-outs, minority investments and SPAC transactions. The team are active across the technology, energy and financial services sectors. Eric Zabinski leads the practice from Los Angeles, and brings significant expertise across media, healthcare and technology.

Winston Taylor‘s M&A team regularly handles complex transactions in private and public M&A, PE transactions and de-SPAC combinations, acting for both buy and sell-side clients as well as sponsors, often handling matters with cross-jurisdictional complexity. The practice is led by Matt Stevens, based out of Chicago, who is particularly active in the retail, healthcare and financial services sectors. The team can also rely on Timothy Kincaid, who is experienced in advising on complex cross-border transactions. Brad Vaiana, practicing from New York, is recommended for his expertise in the financial services sector.