Most Respected Law Firms

Hughes Hubbard fosters a collegial environment where employees feel welcome and respected. A recently revamped mentorship program and expanded responsibilities for pro bono and billable matters provide excellent opportunities for quality legal education. Founded more than 130 years ago, Hubbard Hughes has a strong presence in New York and a broad geographic reach from coast to coast and internationally. The firm has 40 main areas of activity in the four core departments of the firm: 1. corporate, tax and private clients; 2. financing, restructuring and bankruptcy; 3. intellectual property; and 4. Litigation, arbitration and investigations. Of course, many companies identify with more than one category: Davis Polk belongs to the elite both globally and in New York; Cravath, Sullivan or Debevoise, although known internationally, have smaller networks and New York is really where their nerve centers are; then the elite British companies of the Magic Circle have greater global strength than most American companies, but would not be considered first-rate in New York alone.

As the king of elite law firms, Cravath essentially wrote the book on legal practice and education. The firm attracts the best of the best and offers a professional atmosphere based on respect. Those who thrive under pressure, with a strong work ethic and intellectual curiosity, will do well in the business. Cravath has a strong reputation for its work in antitrust, banking and lending, capital markets, corporate governance, executive compensation and benefits, mergers and acquisitions, securities litigation, tax, trusts and estates, and white-collar defence. Each of Cravath`s firms is internationally oriented and more than one-third of its clients are located outside the United States. From mergers and acquisitions to taxation, Skadden is a legal powerhouse and a pillar among the most prestigious law firms in Vault`s Top 100 ranking. Skadden`s lawyers are a social group that values teamwork and mentorship while diving headlong into complex cases. Skadden is one of the most profitable and well-known law firms in the world. It was the first law firm to report $1 billion in annual revenue — now a brass industrial ring. Although the firm is best known for its M&A capabilities, it is a star in all practice areas and has an army of approximately 1,700 lawyers worldwide. To that end, Cravath — the company that raised the pay scale to $415,000 in February — managed to retain its No. 1 spot in last year`s Vault 100 ranking, while Wachtell Lipton reclaimed the second spot after being ousted by Skadden for the first time in Vault rankings history.

But has Cravath been able to retain its seal of approval as the nation`s most prestigious large law firm in this year`s Vault rankings? How does Vault make its list of the top 100 companies in the country? The first step is to compile a list of the most reputable law firms by reviewing feedback from previous surveys, looking at our previous lists, sifting through legal publications, talking with lawyers in the field, and reviewing other published rankings. We then asked these large companies to distribute a password-protected online survey to their employees. This year, more than 20,000 employees across the country returned anonymous surveys to Vault. We heard from lawyers in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Palo Alto, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle – among many other places. In the online survey, lawyers were asked to rate each of the law firms on a scale of 1 to 10, based on the prestige of working for the firm. Employees were asked to ignore any company they did not know about and they were not allowed to evaluate their own business. This is the fifth year in a row that these companies have been in the top 10, but as you can see, there have been some fluctuations in rank among them. Davis Polk — who has become known for his big cash raises and bonuses in recent years — moved up three spots and moved up to No. 4 (up from No. 7 last year), with SullCrom and Kirkland losing ground behind them (two spots and one spot respectively). Just outside the top 10, number one. 11 is Milbank, the company that started the wage wars in 2022 and thus made a double-digit jump in the Vault ranking (from 23rd place last year).

Paul Weiss advocates for civil rights and social justice, attracting progressive types who appreciate the company`s high-level volunteer work and internal commitment to diversity and inclusion. The firm is a star in litigation and also has an exceptional corporate practice. The firm is also recognized for its expertise in telecommunications and entertainment law. Today, the company is active in racial justice efforts and support for those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in the areas of immigrant rights, reproductive rights, and voter protection. So that`s a snapshot of the Vault 100 from a business perspective. What do these rankings mean for employees who work at these companies? Here are the top ten companies in the 2023 Vault 100 — such as USA News Law School ranking, Vault is always a year ahead of the calendar year — with their change from last year in parentheses (“—” means no change): As one of the most prestigious law firms, Sullivan & Cromwell takes a generalist approach that allows lawyers to work across all sectors and subgroups. With a strong focus on mentorship and career guidance, S&C is committed to helping its lawyers prepare for their future. As a legal giant, Sullivan & Cromwell has continued – if not created – the model of legal success: it has grown internationally and in response to the growing demands for cross-border mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and financial transactions of the world`s largest corporate clients. With more than 1,600 lawyers in 10 countries, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is a force.

As one of the best law firms in the country, Gibson Dunn is known for its litigation and litigation work, especially for its busy appellate litigation. DC-based Steptoe & Johnson is attracted to candidates with legal or government experience, and the right personality is a must. The company is dedicated to developing people, with early opportunities for challenges and truly invested partners. Today, the firm advises a number of blue-chip clients and is consistently ranked among the top law firms for international trade, insurance, tax, intellectual property, energy, white-collar crime and the ever-evolving field of internet law. There`s enough grim news in the world right now, so for today`s purposes, let`s look at the bright side of the ledger: the biggest winners of the 2021 Vault 100 ranking. Here are the 17 companies that have moved up two or more places this year, ranked by the size of their jump (with the two newcomers at the end): Cleary is best known for its cross-border work, including representing national governments, and is one of the most prestigious companies. Intellectual curiosity and a gracious personality will fit perfectly into the company`s unique “Cleary culture”. Cleary is a leading global law firm with offices on four continents and an unparalleled reputation for groundbreaking work. Although Cleary has long been known as a dominant player in the international and corporate world, it has developed enterprise and process capabilities that have strengthened and expanded the full range of resources it provides to its clients. With an impressive global presence and a world-class client list, Sidley is the crème de la crème when it comes to law firms.

Come for the demanding work and stay for the polite and friendly atmosphere of the Midwest – as well as a genuine commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Sidley is a global leader with approximately 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices. The company has a long list of clients in a number of industries, including banking, energy, healthcare, insurance, life sciences and technology. The firm`s work in complex transactions and litigation is supported by exceptional regulatory experience, and the firm includes many former public servants in Europe, the United States and China. Nine hundred strong lawyers with a long list of praised practice areas, there`s not much Akin Gump isn`t exceptional about. Transparent? Examine. Progress on diversity? Certainly. Do you hike on the wellness walk? Sure. Social types with their feet on the ground fit well into the company. Founded in Texas in 1945, Akin Gump has grown into one of the world`s largest law firms with more than 900 lawyers in 20 offices around the world, working at the intersection of public policy, business and law. As a legal market, New York is second only to London in terms of complexity and size.

Therefore, we thought it would be useful to break down our satisfaction survey into types of companies. What you`ll see below are the top employee satisfaction companies, grouped by their identity in the legal market. We collected all the surveys and averaged the score for each company. The companies were then ranked in order, starting with the highest average prestige score as No. 1 and ending with the determination of the Vault 100 law. Keep in mind that Vault doesn`t rank in the top 100 companies based on profit, size, lifestyle, number of stores, or quality of service. We evaluate the most prestigious law firms based on the perception of practicing lawyers in peer firms. Of course it is. Here`s what Vault legal writer Travis Whitsitt had to say about Cravath`s ranking in the latest ranking: “Cravath is the standard by which all other firms measure themselves, with the firm leading the Vault 100 year after year and also in the top 10 in several practice area rankings.