Chris R. Moore Discusses 2026 Megadeals Driving Record M&A Values in Law360

Cleary Gottlieb partner Chris R. Moore was quoted in Law360’s article, “Megadeals Driving Record M&A Values in Uneven 2026 Market.”

Chris discussed the forces shaping the global M&A market in the first half of 2026, noting that the dominance of larger transactions reflects “capital flowing to larger, more resilient, high-conviction assets,” and that these blockbuster deals can create a ripple effect as competitors feel pressure to respond, particularly as regulators appear more willing to allow large mergers to proceed, “creating urgency for competitors to look at transformational deals of their own.”

He also highlighted how AI is reshaping technology M&A, noting that “there’s a level of uncertainty that’s causing people to take a harder look at that build-versus-buy analysis,” with purchasers “less willing to buy software capabilities and are more focused on securing AI ecosystem access,” a sharp departure from the software-driven dealmaking of the 2021 boom.

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