Michael J. Blankenship Ranked #1 Top DeSPAC Lawyer in North America by MergerLinks for FY 2025

Winston & Strawn partner Michael J. Blankenship has been ranked #1 Top DeSPAC Lawyer in North America for FY 2025 by MergerLinks, according to its latest league tables recognizing leading advisers in the global M&A market.

The MergerLinks rankings are based on independently verified transaction data and a transparent methodology designed to highlight the advisers responsible for the most significant and high-value deals during the year.

According to the FY 2025 results, Michael advised on 51 total transactions, including 45 valued deals, representing an aggregate transaction value of approximately £48.07 billion and an average deal size of £1.07 billion. He also led nine DeSPAC transactions totaling approximately £8.27 billion, earning him the top position in North America in that category.

MergerLinks publishes data-driven league tables that spotlight the firms and advisers behind many of the year’s most strategically important transactions. The rankings rely on objective deal metrics to provide an independent view of activity across the global M&A landscape.