Latham Tops US and Europe Private Credit Rankings in First Half of 2026
Latham & Watkins has topped key US and Europe private credit categories in Octus’ H1 2026 direct lending league tables, advising on more transactions than any other law firm on both sides of the Atlantic. The firm led with 159 engagements in the US and 33 engagements in Europe, capturing the #1 position in key categories across both markets. Combined with the firm’s #1 rankings in KBRA DLD’s H1 2026 US and Europe direct lending tables, these results reinforce Latham’s dominant position in the private credit market.
Select Octus H1 2026 rankings by engagements include:
United States
#1 US Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Overall
#1 US Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Large Cap
#1 US Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Large Cap, Lender-side
#1 US Direct Lending Legal Adviser — M&A Financings
Latham advised on 159 US direct lending deals in H1 2026, more than any other firm overall, and in key categories — large cap overall; large cap lender-side; and M&A financings.
Europe
#1 Europe Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Overall
#1 Europe Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Large Cap
#1 Europe Direct Lending Legal Adviser — Middle Market
#1 Europe Direct Lending Legal Adviser — M&A Financings
Latham’s 33 European transactions placed the firm ahead of all other advisers, reflecting the breadth of the firm’s coverage across the European private credit landscape.
Latham’s Banking & Private Credit Practice is a core part of the firm’s Capital Strategies group, encompassing our elite practices in banking and finance, capital markets, hybrid capital, liability management, private credit, restructuring, and structured finance. We empower our clients to make business decisions with the deepest real-time market intelligence and unrivaled insight across products, structures, and deal opportunities. Latham advises on the highest volume of transactions across each segment of the capital structure by a wide margin and has broader relationships across the public and private markets than any other law firm. We use our scale to deliver unparalleled perspective and a competitive advantage to our clients.