• Freshfields ranks #2 globally for cross-border M&A by Bloomberg, underlining its strength in complex, multi-jurisdictional dealmaking.
• The firm is ranked #5 globally for overall M&A by volume in Mergermarket’s FY 2025 league tables, reinforcing its position among the world’s most active legal advisers on high-value strategic transactions.
• Freshfields remains the #1 legal adviser in Europe, topping the Bloomberg, LSEG and Mergermarket league tables and maintaining its leadership across the region’s most significant public and private deals.
• In the US, Freshfields is ranked #13 by Bloomberg for M&A, reflecting the firm’s continued role on major strategic and cross-border transactions involving US corporates and private capital investors.
• Freshfields’ private-equity practice delivered another strong year, ranking #1 for European private-equity M&A and #8 globally in Bloomberg’s FY 2025 league tables, highlighting its strength advising sponsors on complex, cross-border investments and exits.

Global law firm Freshfields continues to rank as a leading adviser on complex, strategic and private-equity transactions, securing standout positions across Europe, the US, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa in the FY 2025 rankings.

Damien Zoubek, Partner and Co-head of Global M&A at Freshfields, commented:

“2025, especially the second half of the year, saw significant volumes in dealmaking across nearly all jurisdictions.  The current environment is placing a premium on advisors that provide regulatory sophistication, top-tier deal execution and legal advice that is strategic and nuanced.  Our strong performance this year reflects the trust our clients continue to place in us for their most complex transactions, whether in the United States, Europe, Asia or the Middle East.  We continue to see significant activity and pipeline build across a number of sectors and in both our strategic and private equity M&A businesses, which we believe positions us well heading into 2026.”

Top-tier cross border M&A performance

Freshfields ranks #5 globally for overall M&A by volume in Mergermarket’s FY 2025 league tables and #2 globally for cross-border M&A in Bloomberg’s FY 2025 league tables, demonstrating its continued leadership in executing complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions.

Freshfields achieves top rankings in Europe

Freshfields secured the #1 position for European M&A and #1 for European private-equity M&A in Bloomberg’s rankings, maintaining its leadership across the continent’s key strategic, sponsor-led and cross-border markets.

Continued strength in the US

Freshfields continues to strengthen its US platform, ranking #13 for M&A in Bloomberg’s FY 2025 league table, reflecting its growing share of transatlantic mandates and continued presence on major US-linked transactions

Private equity

Freshfields’ global private-equity practice continues to advise leading sponsors on transformational investments and exits, ranking #1 in Europe and top-10 globally in Bloomberg’s FY 2025 private-equity M&A league tables.