Dealmaking hit a new high this year. From the manic M&A world to the schizophrenic capital markets, we diagnose the year in dealmaking and profile the lawyers behind the most significant work. Plus: A behind-the-scenes look at two M&A mazes where the lawyers were the pathfinders, advice for nurturing the kinds of long-term relationships that drive the biggest deals, and the 2016 Corporate Scorecard.

Previous Dealmakers of the Year :: 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008

In a year of superlatives, top M&A lawyers dined out on some of the biggest, most complicated deals ever (or, given their workloads, maybe they just ate at their desks).
DEALMAKERS OF THE YEAR
Casey handled Dow Chemical Co.’s sale of parts of its chlorine business, which involved a carve-out, equity and debt exchanges and a public company merger.
Fagan and Plotkin obtained CFIUS approval without congressional objection for Global Foundries’ acquisition of IBM’s semiconductor business.
Gallup was lender’s counsel in General Electric Co.’s sale of a $3 billion commercial mortgage portfolio in Mexico.
Greene successfully defended Mylan N.V. against a hostile bid from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Co. Ltd.
Kirman led the successful eight-month-long defense of Perrigo Co. plc against a hostile bid from Mylan N.V.
Kling and Van Dyke successfully defended E.I. du DuPont de Nemours & Co. in a proxy fight with Trian Fund Management L.P.
Labovitz was debtor’s counsel in the Chapter 11 filing of Altegrity Inc., which lost one-third of its revenue after its background-screening division was hit with cyberattacks.
Lam represents Pfizer Inc. in its proposed acquisition of Allergan PLC, an inversion deal that would redomicle Pfizer in Ireland.
Proger is simultaneously steering two big health-care acquisitions through antitrust review: Rite Aid-Walgreens and Aetna-Humana.
Webber is the sponsor counsel on the multiyear project financing of the Freeport LNG export facility near Houston.
DEALS OF THE YEAR
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom took the lead in the biggest tech-industry deal ever.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Sullivan & Cromwell and Kirkland & Ellis each had starring roles in a fast-paced food-industry merger.
PLUS:
Deep, decades-long client relationships are the holy grail of law firm M&A work. What does it take to make them happen?
Our annual rankings track the U.S. law firms with the most active corporate finance and capital markets practices.
Recognizing the best-of-the-best M&A lawyers during a record year.