Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer tops Australian M&A league tables for H1 2026

Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSF Kramer) has retained its status as Australia’s leading legal adviser for mergers and acquisitions, topping three league tables for H1 2026.

The firm ranked:

• 1^st by deal count and 1^st by deal value (completed) – AU/NZ (LSEG)
• 1^st by deal count (announced) – AU/NZ (LSEG)
• 1^st by deal count – Australasia (Mergermarket)
• 1^st by deal count (announced) – AU/NZ (Bloomberg)

Andrew Rich, Corporate M&A partner, said it has been a busy year for dealmaking so far despite the uncertainty that marked the early months of 2026.

“We are proud to have retained our position in the tables; these results reflect the trust our clients place in us and the dedication of our teams in supporting them on some of the market’s most significant and complex transactions,” he said.

HSF Kramer has worked across some of the largest and most complex public and private M&A transactions in the Australian market through the first half of 2026, including:

• Ampol’s A$1.165 billion acquisition of EG Australia, the first substantive acquisition to be notified under Australia’s new merger regime (which commenced on 1 January 2026), first Phase II acquisition and first acquisition approved subject to conditions
• Seven West Media on its combination with Southern Cross Media
• MAAS Group Holdings on the sale of its Construction Materials division for A$1.7 billion
• Energy Fuels, Inc. on its proposed acquisition of Australian Strategic Materials Limited
• Abu Dhabi-based private equity investment manager Axight on the acquisition of Estia Health as part of a Stonepeak-led consortium
• Ramsay Health Care on its proposed A$251 million acquisition of National Capital Private Hospital
• Aura Consolidated Group, Inc. on its transformational combination with Qoria Limited
• Shandong Sinocera Functional Material on its A$166m proposed acquisition of SDI
• SafetyCulture on its acquisition of Twine
• UniSuper on the tax aspects of its acquisition of Qube

HSF Kramer has also reaffirmed its standing across Asia Pacific, ranking 2^nd by deal value for completed deals in the region (LSEG).

Matthew FitzGerald, Managing Partner of HSF Kramer’s Corporate Practice in Australia and Asia, said, “We expect to see a healthy pipeline of deals across both public and private M&A through the second half of the year, and are excited to continue helping clients navigate an increasingly dynamic market.”

The league table rankings are the latest reflection of HSF Kramer’s leading status in the Australian market.

The firm was also ranked Band 1 in the Asia-Pacific Corporate/M&A, Australian Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets: Equity categories in the 2026 Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific Guide. Partners Baden Furphy, Jay Leary, Rodd Levy, Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, and Philippa Stone also received individual Band 1 rankings in the Guide, with Philippa Stone named a Star Individual.

HSF Kramer also remains a leader for in-depth insights into the local market: its Public M&A Report, which will be celebrating its 18th edition in 2026, provides a comprehensive analysis of the developments and deal dynamics shaping Australian public M&A, while its Private M&A Report offers a data-driven view of the Australian private M&A landscape. 

The team also this month released the latest edition of its Australian Foreign Direct Investment Guide, helping investors navigate Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board regime.