Deal type · November 2026

Capital markets: deal monitor

Dated capital markets deals over the last 12 months: how many, which practices staffed them, which industries they served and which firms advised.

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01 The numbers

The last 12 months: November 2025 to October 2026

12,366
Dated deals, 12 monthsNovember 2025 to October 2026
+10.0%
Year on yearSettled 12-month windows
$600m
Median disclosed value
4,831
Distinct clients
02 Reading the data

What the data show

From November 2025 to October 2026, Sartori & Partners recorded 12,366 dated deals of this type. Measured on settled 12-month windows, 12,698 deals against 11,541 the year before, the deal count rose 10.0%. The deal market as a whole moved +10.6% over the same windows.

Capital markets deals by year

2026 runs to October.

By practice, Capital Markets is involved in 98.5% of these deals and Corporate & M&A in 0.6%. By client industry, Pharma & Biotech is involved in 13.9% of these deals and Banks & Financial Institutions in 13.5%.

Deal value was disclosed on 28.6% of them; where disclosed, the median was $600 million. 4,831 distinct clients appear across the window.

Share of deals involving each practice

First among advising firms is Davis Polk & Wardwell, with deals in the 701-1200 band.

A firm hiring for capital markets work should read the adviser table as the map of where experienced lawyers sit today.

03 Firms

Firms by rank and band

Each firm appears as a rank and a band, never an exact count, and only with at least 10 moves in the window.

Advising firms ranked by deals, 12 months
RankFirmDeals (band)
1Davis Polk & Wardwell701-1200
2Latham & Watkins701-1200
3A&O Shearman401-700
4Simpson Thacher & Bartlett401-700
5Clifford Chance401-700
6Linklaters401-700
7White & Case251-400
8Ellenoff Grossman & Schole251-400
9Cooley251-400
10Sidley Austin251-400

Edition November 2026. Window: November 2025 to October 2026. Source: Sartori & Partners, from public law-firm announcements, firm websites and professional profiles, checked monthly. Methodology. Spot an error? [email protected].

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