Corporate Board Member, a division of Chief Executive Group and a market leader in board education, today announced the rankings of its 18th annual America’s Best Corporate Law Firms. The study, a comprehensive ranking by U.S. corporate directors and general counsel across the country, is conducted entirely online and reflects the opinions of 250 participating directors and general counsel of publicly traded companies.
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz took the top-ranking spot this year, pushing New York’s Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and affiliates down to #2 for the first time since the ranking’s inception.
Three firms — Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Reed Smith, and Goodwin Procter — returned to the top 25 this year, after being absent last year, while Dechert made its first ever appearance in the ranking. All four tied at #23.
Conducted from February to April 2018, America’s Best Corporate Law Firms each year asks directors and general counsel of US publicly traded companies to select the firms they would most like to represent them in a variety of corporate legal matters. The results are then featured in Corporate Board Member magazine.
2018 America’s Best Corporate Law Firms
1 Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
2 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
3 Jones Day
4 Sullivan & Cromwell
5 Latham & Watkins
6 Cravath, Swaine & Moore
7 Davis Polk & Wardwell
8 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
9 Weil, Gotshal & Manges
10 Kirkland & Ellis
11 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
12 Sidley Austin
13 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
14 Hogan Lovells
15 Baker McKenzie
16 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
17 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
TIE 18 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Morrison & Foerster
20 DLA Piper
21 King & Spalding
22 Covington & Burling
TIE 23 Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Reed Smith
Goodwin Procter
Dechert
