Deal type · November 2026
M&A: deal monitor
Dated M&A deals over the last 12 months: how many, which practices staffed them, which industries they served and which firms advised.
The last 12 months: November 2025 to October 2026
- 9,281
- Dated deals, 12 monthsNovember 2025 to October 2026
- +8.9%
- Year on yearSettled 12-month windows
- $1,200m
- Median disclosed value
- 5,239
- Distinct clients
What the data show
Sartori & Partners data count 9,281 dated deals of this type from November 2025 to October 2026. Measured on settled 12-month windows, 9,226 deals against 8,475 the year before, the deal count rose 8.9%. The deal market as a whole moved +10.6% over the same windows.
By practice, Corporate & M&A is involved in 90.2% of these deals and Funds & Investment Management in 1.3%. By client industry, Technology & Software is involved in 10.6% of these deals and Financial Sponsors in 6.2%.
Deal value was disclosed on 10.3% of them; where disclosed, the median was $1,200 million. 5,239 distinct clients appear across the window.
Latham & Watkins ranks first among advising firms, in the 401-700 band; the full top 10 follows as ranks and bands.
A firm hiring for M&A work should read the adviser table as the map of where experienced lawyers sit today.
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.
| Rank | Firm | Deals (band) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latham & Watkins | 401-700 |
| 2 | Kirkland & Ellis | 251-400 |
| 3 | CMS | 151-250 |
| 4 | DLA Piper | 151-250 |
| 5 | Jones Day | 151-250 |
| 6 | Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati | 151-250 |
| 7 | Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher | 151-250 |
| 8 | White & Case | 151-250 |
| 9 | Sidley Austin | 151-250 |
| 10 | Goodwin Procter | 151-250 |
Related monitors and reports
Client industries
- Banks & Financial Institutions
- Financial Sponsors
- Technology & Software
- Pharma & Biotech
- Asset Management & Funds
- Real Estate
- Power & Renewables
- Consumer Goods & Retail
- Food, Beverage & Agriculture
- Healthcare Providers & Payors
- Oil & Gas
- Industrial Manufacturing
- Media & Entertainment
- Utilities, Water & Waste
- Government & Public Sector
- Automotive
- Insurance
- Electronics & Semiconductors
- Medical Devices
- Mining & Metals
- Individuals & Consumers
- Hospitality & Leisure
- Aerospace & Defence
- Infrastructure
- Construction & Engineering
- Professional Services
- Fintech & Payments
- Telecommunications
- Transportation & Logistics
- Chemicals
- Sports
- Nonprofits & Charities
- Aviation
- Digital Assets & Crypto
- Education
Other deal types
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Hiring in this market
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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