Ranking tables
Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above | UK
UK-wide
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
Adrian Maguire Kirkland & Ellis International LLP10 Years Ranked
Alex Woodward Linklaters13 Years Ranked
David Walker Latham & Watkins20 Years Ranked
Kem Ihenacho Latham & Watkins13 Years Ranked
Marco Compagnoni Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP27 Years Ranked
Richard Youle Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP20 Years Ranked
Band 2
Ben Rodham Linklaters12 Years Ranked
Charles Hayes Freshfields5 Years Ranked
Jonathan P Wood Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP18 Years Ranked
Matthew Elliott Kirkland & Ellis International LLP6 Years Ranked
Paul Dolman Latham & Watkins20 Years Ranked
Spencer Baylin Clifford Chance LLP14 Years Ranked
Victoria Sigeti Freshfields5 Years Ranked
Band 3
- Alvaro Membrillera Kirkland & Ellis International LLP3 Years Ranked
Amy Mahon Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP11 Years Ranked
Anu Balasubramanian Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP2 Years Ranked
Christopher Sullivan Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP5 Years Ranked
Clare Gaskell Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP5 Years Ranked
Gavin Gordon Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP18 Years Ranked
Geoffrey Bailhache Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP1 Years Ranked
Helen Croke Ropes & Gray LLP15 Years Ranked
Stephen Lloyd A&O Shearman17 Years Ranked
Tim Wilmot Freshfields9 Years Ranked
Will Aitken-Davies Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP7 Years Ranked
Band 4
Ben Spiers Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP11 Years Ranked
Bruce Embley Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP7 Years Ranked
Claire McDaid Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP2 Years Ranked
Elizabeth Todd Ropes & Gray LLP2 Years Ranked
Gordon Milne Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP11 Years Ranked
James R Howe Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP1 Years Ranked
Katja Butler Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP4 Years Ranked- Kenneth Barry White & Case LLP1 Years Ranked
Ramy Wahbeh Sidley Austin LLP1 Years Ranked
Roger Johnson Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP1 Years Ranked
Ross Allardice White & Case LLP9 Years Ranked
Stuart Boyd Kirkland & Ellis International LLP9 Years Ranked
Tom Evans Latham & Watkins10 Years Ranked
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 Clifford Chance LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedClifford Chance is highly skilled in high-end private equity deals, offering clients excellent strength in depth and cross-border capabilities, with significant expertise in transactions involving Europe, Asia and Africa. It advises established private equity houses as well as alternative buyers and new entrants to the market. The department covers the full range of private equity work, including buyouts, buy-ins, emerging market transactions and portfolio company acquisitions, and is boosted by a superlative global finance practice.
1 FreshfieldsPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedFreshfields maintains its position at the cutting edge of the private equity market, drawing from an impressive stable of M&A experts to advise on a range of complex and cross-border deals. It is known particularly for the strength and breadth of its expertise in high-end private equity deals, and for its wider strengths in other financial, regulatory and strategic investment matters. The group maintains an impressive client base that includes many of the leading private equity houses, and demonstrates particular sector strength in technology, healthcare and financial services.
1 Kirkland & Ellis International LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedKirkland & Ellis is recognised as an outstanding sponsor-side practice handling complex, high-end private equity transactions which are often multijurisdictional in nature. It continues to act for a range of high-profile investors in the industry, with its client base spanning a broad spectrum of leading UK, US and European investors. The department's extensive expertise covers issues such as LBOs, going-private deals, restructurings and recapitalisations.
1 Latham & WatkinsPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedLatham & Watkins maintains a market-leading buyouts practice that is routinely seen handling high-end, cross-border transactions for a host of well-known private equity houses. It offers significant expertise in complementary practice areas, with top-tier strength in financing and high-yield bonds. The department counts upon an extensive international network to provide an integrated practice in global M&A. It also boasts further private equity expertise in technology venture capital investments.
1 LinklatersPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedLinklaters has a strong bench of transactional lawyers who are particularly active on European buyouts but also have wider international expertise. It often acts for pre-eminent sponsor clients on a range of market-leading transactional matters, including buyouts, exits and restructurings. The group also represents portfolio companies, pension funds and other institutional investors. Linklaters' sector expertise includes healthcare and financial institutions.
Band 2
2 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedSimpson Thacher & Bartlett enjoys a strong practice that frequently works with private equity funds on international matters, relying upon a well-resourced team of experts who are able to handle transactions with values in the billions. Its clients benefit from a stable of English and US-qualified lawyers, as well as a number of foreign experts with deep cross-border deal experience. The department maintains an impressive roster of clients, regularly working with leading US and European funds on complex and high-value buyouts.
2 Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedWeil continues to be a destination practice for high-value, complex and multi-jurisdictional buyouts, offering strength across Europe, Asia and the USA. Its enviable client roster includes distinguished private equity firms, as well as state-backed funds, secondary investors and multi-asset managers. The department is able to leverage a highly regarded debt and financing advisory practice to offer complementary skills in LBO work. Its broad sector expertise includes advising on deals in the real estate, financial services and technology fields.
Band 3
3 A&O ShearmanPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedA&O Shearman maintains notable proficiency in the private equity space. The firm draws from a high-calibre team of transactional experts, with particular skill in complex cross-border investment work, complemented by leading finance and capital markets teams. It has diverse industry experience that includes particular expertise in financial services deals. The firm's established client base is composed of many leading European and US sponsors, as well as other equity providers.
3 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedSkadden is a strong force in the UK buyouts market and offers counsel to a roster of top private equity sponsors on substantial transactions. The team excels in high-end transatlantic deals while demonstrating strength on pan-European work. It regularly advises in connection with substantial investments, financings and management incentive plans, as well as with regard to portfolio companies and strategics.
3 White & Case LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedWhite & Case has a respected team with an impressive track record in complex and high-value private equity transactions, alongside a strong portfolio company advisory practice. It is regularly called upon to handle pan-European deals, owing to its broad network of offices. White & Case consistently works with a range of pre-eminent private equity investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and specialist investors.
Band 4
4 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 1 Years RankedGibson Dunn boasts a strong group with notable expertise advising on private equity deals. The firm draws upon its premier global offering to advise on complex transactions across various continents. The team routinely handles matters for private equity firms and portfolio companies. The group also exhibits strength in ancillary corporate areas such as tax, financing and equity capital markets.
4 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedPaul, Weiss is recognised for its enviable client list and ability to offer astute advice on large, cross-border private equity transactions. The firm regularly advises on deals covering the US, Europe and Asian markets. It displays particular expertise in technology, e-commerce and telecommunications deals. Paul, Weiss also boasts capabilities relating to fund and portfolio management, offering clients continued support past the initial transaction.
4 Ropes & Gray LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedRopes & Gray offers strength in high-end private equity deals, including those that feature creative structures and cross-practice involvement in areas such as finance and compliance. It advises a roster of sponsor clients, calling upon support from the firm's global network to help manage complex cross-border deals. The group has a broad sector focus that includes deep expertise in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Ropes & Gray's buyout capabilities are complemented by an understanding of co-investment and minority investment deals.
4 Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedWillkie Farr & Gallagher is noted for its activity on high-value deals for investors on both sides of the Atlantic and in Europe, contributing to the firm's strong global private equity offering. The firm has a notable client roster, advising on buyouts and investment deals across multiple industries.