Freshfields: deals and league table rankings

What they do

Freshfields is a global law firm advising businesses on transactional, regulatory and risk matters, with practices including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, private capital, financing and restructuring.

Services: M&A law, Capital markets law, Private equity law, Banking and finance law, Competition and regulatory approvals, Restructuring and insolvency law
Specialties: Aerospace and defense, Automotive, Chemicals, Consumer products, Energy, Financial services, Fintech, Industrials, Infrastructure, Insurance, Life sciences, Media, entertainment and sports, Mining and metals, Retail, Technology, Telecommunications
Deal size: Recorded deals: median A$2.3bn, from A$1.1bn to A$3.4bn
Team: 5700

From freshfields.com, checked 7 Nov 2026: /en/capabilities, /en/about-us

3 of 3 deals

Deals Freshfields advised on, most recent first
									Advisers
Apr 2026	Kestrel Coal Group	EMR Capital Advisors	Yancoal Australia	Acquisition	Legal adviser to Yancoal Australia (acquirer)	Announced	3,411.9	Coal	UBS (buy-side)Gilbert + Tobin (buy-side)	Yancoal Australia acquisition of Kestrel Coal Group
Apr 2026	Downtown Music Holdings	–	Universal Music Group (through Virgin Music Group)	Acquisition	Legal adviser to Universal Music Group (acquirer)	Completed	1,104.0	Media, entertainment and online platforms	Kirkland & Ellis (buy-side)Gilbert + Tobin (buy-side)Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (sell-side)Allens (sell-side)TozziniFreire Advogados (sell-side)	Universal Music Group (through Virgin Music Group) acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings
Sep 2025	Fonterra's consumer and associated businesses	Fonterra	Lactalis	Acquisition	Legal adviser to Lactalis (acquirer)	Completed	–	Food and beverage	Allens (buy-side)Bell Gully (buy-side)Rothschild & Co (buy-side)Cameron Partners (buy-side)Deloitte (buy-side)	Lactalis acquisition of Fonterra's consumer and associated businesses