2026 Insights

Sector Spotlights

Technology

Artificial Intelligence

• M&A in the AI Era: What Buyers Can Do to Confirm and Protect Value
• Don’t Believe the Hype: Government Regulation of AI Continues to Advance

Data Centers/Digital Infrastructure and Energy

• Structured Finance Is Playing a Key Role as the Capital Demands of Data Center and Power Build-Outs Balloon

Defense

• To Build European Defense Tech Champions, Political Challenges Must Be Overcome

Digital Assets and Fintech

• With Supportive New Regulations, Digital Assets Are Likely to Proliferate in 2026
• Major Jurisdictions Broadly Align on the Key Principles of Stablecoin Regulations but Not Always on the Details
• Digital Asset Treasury Companies Are Using Common Forms of Capital Raising — With a Few Twists
• Tokenization Is Coming to a Fund Near You: Designing the Structures to Make Investment Tokens Work

Financial Institutions

• The Long-Anticipated Wave of Bank Consolidation Starts to Break

Food and Beverage

• ‘Premiumization’ and Slow Organic Growth Are Likely to Feed Food and Beverage M&A

Insurance and Private Equity

• As Insurance, Private Capital and Asset Management Converge, Investors Jump Into Sidecars

Life Sciences

• New FDA Approach to Drug Prices Adds Uncertainty to Drug Approval Process

Transactional

M&A

• Boards Face Continued Pressure to Pursue Spin-Offs as Investors Seek Corporate Clarity and Value Creation
• M&A in the Middle East: AI, Financial Services and Energy Transition Lead the New Wave
• Liability Divestiture Transactions: A Win-Win for Financial Buyers and Mass Tort Defendants

For more articles on M&A, see:

• M&A in the AI Era: What Buyers Can Do to Confirm and Protect Value
• The Long-Anticipated Wave of Bank Consolidation Starts to Break
• ‘Premiumization’ and Slow Organic Growth Likely to Feed Food and Beverage M&A
• Political Law Due Diligence in M&A Transactions Is Increasingly Critical

Capital Markets

• Strategic Capital Meets Innovation: How Government and Industry Are Shaping the Next Wave of Market Growth
• Key Considerations for Private Equity Sponsors Aiming to Take Portfolio Companies Public
• Hong Kong Exchange Speeds Up Listing Reviews and Loosens Retail Allocation

Shareholder Activism

• As Activism Becomes a Year-Round Sport, Possible Regulatory Changes Could Impact Both Activists and Companies

Litigation/Controversy

Antitrust/Competition

• Algorithmic Pricing Decisions Have Favored Defendants, but the Law Will Continue to Evolve in 2026

Federal and State Government Enforcement

• Cross-Border Enforcement Priorities and Increased Cooperation Come Into Focus
• Corporate Compliance Remains Critical as State Enforcement Initiatives Gain Momentum Following Governors’ Races

Intellectual Property

• My IP Is Not Your IP: Clear Terms Are Key in Joint Development Agreements

Securities Litigation

• AI-Related Claims and Other Securities Litigation Trends to Watch

Regulatory/Enforcement

International Trade

• Turbulence Ahead: Tariff and Trade Policy Shifts Are Expected Amid Looming Supreme Court Decision

Political Law

• Political Law Due Diligence in M&A Transactions Is Increasingly Critical

SEC Reporting and Enforcement

• SEC Moves to Lighten Regulation and Encourage Capital Formation

Tax

• A Depleted IRS May Turn to Expedited Processes to Work Off Dispute Backlog

Skadden Podcasts

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