Vault has recently unveiled its comprehensive rankings for 2025, announcing the top law firms by practice area and region. This ranking is significant for associates assessing potential firms to align with in specialized fields or particular geographic locations.
In the practice area rankings, associates voted for up to three firms they consider the top in their respective fields, excluding their own. The results show a diversified landscape with Williams & Connolly leading in Appellate Litigation, Cleary Gottlieb in Bankruptcy/Restructuring, and Kirkland & Ellis spearheading both General Corporate Practice and Private Equity.
- Appellate Litigation: Williams & Connolly
- Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Cleary Gottlieb
- Energy, Oil and Gas: Vinson & Elkins
- General Commercial Litigation: Quinn Emanuel
- General Corporate Practice: Kirkland & Ellis
- Intellectual Property: Fish & Richardson
- International: White & Case
- Labor and Employment: Littler Mendelson
- Private Equity: Kirkland & Ellis
- Real Estate: Gibson Dunn
- Securities/Capital Markets: Davis Polk
- Tax: Skadden
The regional rankings, based on a 1 to 10 prestige scale, reveal which firms are perceived to have a stronghold within specific locales. Some notable entries include Cravath maintaining its dominance in New York and Kirkland & Ellis topping the charts in Chicago and the Midwest.
- Atlanta: King & Spalding
- Boston: Ropes & Gray
- Chicago: Kirkland & Ellis
- Florida: Holland & Knight
- Mid-Atlantic: Skadden
- Midwest: Kirkland & Ellis
- Mountain States: Gibson Dunn
- New York: Cravath
- Northern California: Morrison & Foerster
- Pacific Northwest: Perkins Coie
- South Atlantic: King & Spalding
- Southern California: Latham & Watkins
- Texas: Vinson & Elkins
- Washington, DC: Covington & Burling
The detailed rankings provide valuable insights for legal professionals and prospective laterals making informed decisions about their career trajectories. For further details, visit Vault’s detailed rankings for 2025.
For a comprehensive view of the prestigious firms in various practice areas, click here. And for the full regional rankings, access them here.
For more information, visit the official press release by Vault.