Vault, Inc.  the most trusted name in career information

China Australia

Career Information
Admissions/Education Information
Join    Log in    Member Home    View Cart    Help Center    Vault Press







HOME > Law >

Top Law Firm Rankings





In winter and spring 2008, Vault surveyed more than 18,800 associates at more than 167 major law firms across the country and asked them to rank firms in terms of how prestigious it would be to work for them. We took these scores to calculate our prestige rankings. For our quality of life rankings, we asked associates to rate their own firms on issues such as treatment by partners, formal training, informal training and mentoring, hours and compensation and then scored the firms against each other.

Vault has also surveyed law firm partners from the nation's most prestigious firms, resulting in the Vault Partner Rankings.

To see the Vault Top 100, the Best 20 Firms to Work For and the Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity and the Vault Partner Rankings, use the links below. To see the rest of the rankings, including regional and practice area rankings, complete salary information and rankings by quality of life categories like hours, compensation and training, get a copy of the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms or subscribe to Vault Gold Membership.


  E-mail this page

Prestige Rankings




Top 100 Law Prestige rankings

Which firms are considered the crème de la crème when it comes to law firm prestige? How do associates across the nation rank the firms they work with or against? Find out here.

Regional Rankings:
AtlantaBostonChicagoMiamiMidwestNew YorkNorthern CaliforniaPacific NorthwestPennsylvaniaSouthern CaliforniaTexasWashington DC

Practice Area Rankings:
AntitrustBankruptcy/Creditors' RightsCorporateIntellectual PropertyInternationalLabor and EmploymentLitigationMergers & AcquisitionsReal EstateSecurities

Quality of Life Rankings




The Best 20 Law Firms to Work For

Prestige isn't everything. The Best 20 Firms to Work For is where we rank the firms associates find are the most amenable to an enjoyable lawyerly existence.

Quality of Life Rankings:
Associate/ Partner RelationsCompensationFormal TrainingHoursInformal TrainingOfficesOverall SatisfactionPro BonoSelectivity

Diversity Rankings




The Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity

Diversity has never been more important to the top law firms. Vault has compiled the Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity, based on rankings in individual diversity categories.

Diversity Rankings:
Diversity for WomenDiversity for MinoritiesDiversity for Gays and Lesbians

Partner Survey Rankings




Partner Prestige Rankings

Partners are more than just associates' bosses. They're the heart of the firm, bringing in new business, dealing with clients and representing the firm, all while mentoring and developing associates. While Vault's guides have traditionally focused on associates (largely because it's associates who are looking to find their first legal job and are often short on information), partners have opinions, too.

Partner Prestige Rankings:
AntitrustBankruptcyCorporateIntellectual PropertyInternationalLabor EmploymentLitigationMergers & AcquisitionsReal Estate Securities



  E-mail this page



Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms, 2009 Edition

Based on surveys of more than 18,000 associates at over 167 top law firms. It includes profiles of 167 of the nations' top law firms compiled for jobseekers, as well as exclusive Vault rankings of the Top 100 Law firms, the Best 20 to Work For, the Best 20 Law Firms for Diversity, and regional, practice area, and quality of life rankings.



Get your guide now

Vault Top 100 Law Firm Survey Corporate Research Report, 2009 Edition

Get complete prestige rankings of firms by law school, location and practice area. See how your firm ranks against competitors at law schools, locations, and practice areas most important to your firm. Complete charts for salary, billable hours, bonus rate, and bonus policy with respect to billables, broken down by firm, location and department.



Get the research report now

Vault Law Associate Survey Database

Run reports from Vault's Associate Database yourself to get the information most valuable to you. See how your firms' departments or offices compare to one another in terms of training, satisfaction, and other quality of life issues. See how associates at your firm in specific demographic groups, such as women or minorities, view quality of life issues.



Learn more



Arent Fox LLP

Chadbourne & Parke LLP

Dewey & LeBoeuf

DLA Piper

Jenner & Block

Kirland & Ellis

Linklaters

Littler Mendelson

McKee Nelson

Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan

US Navy JAG

Winston & Strawn


Where to search:
Keywords to search for:















Help Center | Contact Us | About Vault | Site Map | Advertise | Vault for Career Centers/Libraries | Work @ Vault

Submit Employee Feedback

© 2008, Vault.com, Inc.  Read Vault's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

File Map