Latham & Watkins

Founded in Los Angeles in 1934, Latham & Watkins has grown into a global law firm with offices in 14 countries. It advises companies, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, investment funds, and other major institutions on transactions, disputes, investigations, and regulatory matters.

Its strongest market position is in corporate and finance work, particularly M&A, private equity, capital markets, banking, and private credit. Latham ranked first globally for both M&A deal count and deal value in 2025, and first for global private equity M&A deal count. Chambers also placed its US Corporate/M&A practice in Band 1 in 2025.

For students, the firm is notable for its scale, international staffing model, and exposure to high-value cross-border matters. Its practice spans more than 60 legal disciplines, while its current global platform also reports substantial pro bono activity and participation.