Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and DLA Piper have topped the global and European league tables over the first three quarters of 2015, as global deal activity slowed to its lowest quarterly level in two and a half years, data from Mergermarket reveals.

Skadden topped the global value ranking, with roles on $553bn of deals in the first three quarters of 2015, while DLA Piper topped the global and European volume rankings with roles on 279 deals globally and 156 in Europe.

Freshfields advised on the most European and UK deals by value and the most UK deals by volume.