Law Firm Rankings by Attorney Experience
These rankings examine law firms through the eyes of their attorneys, comparing how well each firm satisfies and supports its employees. Elements of a firm’s offering to its employees may include compensation, benefits, mobility and career pathways, learning and development, and overall work-life balance. These rankings will help you understand how a firm’s employees perceive the factors that influence their engagement and performance, including intangibles such as camaraderie, happiness, trust, and loyalty.
Rankings were classified in this category if they assess firms from the vantage point of their attorneys to target indicators of employee experience.
What It Is: An annually updated grades-based ranking of a variety of considerations from insider ratings and industry ratings to firm morale and culture.
Why It Matters To You: The ranking is easily sortable by categories so you can weigh the various considerations for yourself. Look at rankings based on the aspects that matter most to you from location, compensation, hours, culture, and more.
Considerations: The methodology is thorough with a minimum threshold of survey responses based on firm size required to be included, but it is important to note that not all firms featured are ranked in all categories. The average response overall is tabulated as a “B.”
Created By: Above The Law
What It Is: Annual survey of thousands of 3rd, 4th, and 5th year associates at 100-150 law firms nationwide.
Why It Matters To You: This survey gives a good sense of what it’s really like at these law firms, including quality of work, firm culture, and training. You’ll learn about whether these firms will help you develop critical skills necessary to advance your career, whether there are opportunities for advancement, and much more.
Considerations: The survey is an opportunity to vent anonymously. Dissatisfied associates might be more likely to complete these surveys than satisfied associates.
Created By: The American Lawyer
What It Is: Annual survey of thousands of summer associates at 100-150 law firms nationwide.
Why It Matters To You: This ranking depends on a survey of fellow summer associates.They can give you a view of the day-to-day experience at these law firms, especially comparing that experience to the information they received through promotional literature, NALP, and interviews. How does the actual experience compare to what they were told to expect?
Considerations: Happy summer associates do not necessarily become happy associates. These programs are recruiting tools; law firms try to make a good impression. Additionally, some summer associates don’t yet have a broad context for their experiences. Some opinions may be based on limited knowledge of how law firms work and what it means to be an employee in a formal office setting. But these opinions may also give insight into the sometimes difficult transition from law student to lawyer.
Created By: The American Lawyer
What It Is: Annual ranking of U.S. law firms, rated on lawyer experience by law firm associates worldwide.
Why It Matters To You: Rankings are calculated for overall quality of life, weighing factors like satisfaction; firm culture; hours; compensation; substantive work; business outlook; career outlook; associate/partner relations; transparency; formal and informal training; pro bono; and overall diversity. The ranking is also easily sortable by these factors so you can choose which qualities matter most.
Considerations: Potential a great overview and apples-to-apples comparison of what’s it’s actually like to work there.
Created By: The Vault
What It Is: This is a ranking of the leading midsize firms based on what associates say their work life is really like.
Why It Matters To You: Easily sortable by a variety of factors ranging from an overall ranking to rankings based on compensation, diversity, firm culture, hours, quality of work, and satisfaction.
Considerations: Associates are asked to rank their own firm on a 1-to-10 scale for each of several quality of life categories. Since these rankings are based on perceptions of attorneys who work at each for each firm, it is important to note that some of them may be biased in favor (or against) their firms.
Created by: Vault
What It Is: This is a ranking of best summer associate programs based on the associates’ experiences.
Why It Matters To You: Junior lawyers look back on their experiences as summer associates to rate how much fun the programs were and how effectively they prepared them for life as practicing attorneys. Decide which values matter most to you in a summer associate program.
Considerations: Junior associates are asked to provide rankings on a 1-10 scale for how well the summer program prepared the associate for life at the firm and how fun the summer associate program was. Junior associates often have limited experiences beyond their current firms and thus may not have as strong a basis for comparison.
Created By: Vault
What It Is: Annual ranking of U.S. law firms, rated on prestige by some 18,000 (give or take) associates worldwide.
Why It Matters To You: In addition to revealing the changing fortunes of law firms, the Vault Law 100 shows trends in what law firm associates think of BigLaw firms.
Considerations: This survey focuses on the opinions of law firm associates—not law firm partners or clients—who may not have sufficient information to make judgments about firms prestige in the marketplace.
Created By: Vault