The U.S. News along with Best lawyers has ranked approximately 9,000 law firms across 81 different practice areas across a spread of 171 metropolitan areas and 7 States..The U.S. News along with Best lawyers has ranked approximately 9,000 law firms across 81 different practice areas across a spread of 171 metropolitan areas and 7 States..Their press release states that, “These inaugural rankings, which are presented in tiers both nationally and by metropolitan area or by State, showcase 8,782 different law firms ranked in one or more of 81 major practice areas. Full data is available online for the law firms that received rankings, from the largest firms in the country to hundreds of one-person and two-person law firms, providing a comprehensive view of the U.S. legal profession that is unprecedented both in the range of firms represented and in the range of qualitative and quantitative data used to develop the rankings”..The rankings are based on more than 3,000 law firms across the United States using a wide range of objective data as well as individual assessments from more than 40,000 private practice lawyers, 20,000 clients and thousands of law firm employees..The methodology used was based upon surveying thousands of law firm clients; leading lawyers and law firm managers; partners and associates; and marketing officers and recruiting officers. Each were questioned on what factors they considered vital for clients hiring law firms, for lawyers choosing a firm to refer a legal matter to, and for lawyers seeking employment..The client and lawyer survey comprised of reputational data. Questions were directed on a scale of 1 being weakest to 5 being strongest on basis of expertise, responsiveness, understanding of business needs etc. Demographic data was collected by surveying the Marketing- Officers and Recruiting- Officers. In addition to information from these surveys, the rankings incorporate the 3.1 million evaluations of 39,372 individual leading lawyers collected by Best Lawyers in its most recent annual survey..The methodology also encompassed the question of being eligible for a metropolitan ranking; a firm had to have at least one lawyer listed in Best Lawyers. As a result 10,659 firms were included in the ranking process and 8,903 firms, including a large number of one-person firms, received rankings. Also, to be eligible for a national ranking, a firm had to have an office in one of 40 metropolitan areas. Thus, firms were ranked in 81 practice areas, further ranked nationally in 39 practice areas and finally ranked in 81 practice areas in 171 metropolitan areas and 7 states..The Best Law Firms survey doesn’t break through the popular consciousness when it comes to client choices. One is sure that new law school graduates will be paying attention to the rankings, especially top law school graduates. First the U.S. News rankings directed us to choose the best law schools and now best law firms! It comes to a full circle, with law students looking to get into best law schools first and then getting a job at the best law firm..Since the US News rankings webpage has been acting up since morning, we have relied on the WSJ law blog to list some of the rankings..Tier 1 law firms in a few of the categories are as follows:.General Commercial Litigation: Bingham McCutchen, Covington, Gibson Dunn, Kramer Levin, Mayer Brown, McDermott Will, MoFo, Munger Tolles, Ropes & Gray, Sidley, Skadden, Squire Sanders, Sullivan & Cromwell, Weil Gotshal, Zuckerman Spaeder, Cleary, Cravath, Davis Polk, Debevoise, Hogan Lovells, Jenner & Block, Kirkland, Paul Weiss, Simpson Thacher, Wachtell, Williams & Connolly, WilmerHale.Corporate Law: Bingham McCutchen, Gibson Dunn, Goodwin Procter, K&L Gates, Latham, Mayer Brown, Pillsbury Winthrop, Proskauer, Ropes, Sidley, Skadden, S&C, Weil, Cleary, Cravath, Davis Polk, Debevoise, Hogan Lovells, Kirkand, Manatt Phelps, Milbank, Paul Weiss, Schiff Hardin, Simpson Thacher, Sullivan & Worcester, Wachtell, WilmerHale.Intellectual Property: Covington, Cowan Liebowitz, Finnegan Henderson, Fish & Richardson, Fitzpatrick Cella, Goodwin Procter, Howery, Kilpatrick Stockton, MoFo, Ropes & Gray, Sidley, Skadden, S&C, Baker Botts, Brinks Hofer, Debevoise, Fross Zelnick, Irell & Manella, Kirkland, Locke Lord Bissell, Sheldon Mak, Sheppard Mullin, WilmerHale..The Best Lawyer’s annual survey doesn’t see India in its rankings. Do you think India needs a similar comprehensive ranking structure, categorising Best Law Firms in India?.In March this year, RSG consulting, a London based research and consulting firm has published an India report intending a holistic view of the market and the players with the launch of their India branch, RSG India Centre . Indian Business Law Journal and Rainmaker are some of the few that have ventured out to rank Indian law firms..The question is, are we ready to be ranked in this orderly manner… is only a matter of time..Also read: Rank Injustice?
