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Best Law Firms to Work For

Associates assess their own firms on a range of workplace issues related to career development, job satisfaction, and quality of life. Vault's 2023 Rankings are derived from Vault's Annual Associate Survey conducted from January 2022 through March 2022.
Survey Methodology

Which law firms are the best to work for? For some, this is a far more important consideration than prestige. To determine our Best Law Firms to Work For, we used a formula that weighed the most relevant categories for an overall quality of life ranking. Each firm's overall score was calculated using the following formula:

25% satisfaction; 10% firm culture; 10% hours; 10% compensation; 10% quality of work; 5% business outlook; 5% career outlook; 5% associate/partner relations; 5% transparency; 5% formal and informal training; 5% pro bono; 5% overall diversity

Like our Vault Law 100 rankings, our quality of life rankings are meant to reflect the subjective opinions of associates. These rankings are based on perceptions of insiders—some of whom may be biased in favor of (or against) their firms.

Vault's 2023 Rankings are derived from Vault's Annual Associate Survey conducted from January 2022 through March 2022.

Take Our Survey

Each year Vault invites eligible law firms to participate in our annual Law Survey. Please contact us if you’re interested in having your firm considered for inclusion.

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2023 Best Law Firms for Pro Bono

#1
SCORE 9.863
2022 Rank 1

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Morgan Lewis has branched out from its Philadelphia roots to build a global network of lawyers in more than 30 offices, reaching from Boston to Singapore and San Francisco to Dubai. The firm’s strengths include litigation, labor and employment,...

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#2
SCORE 9.810
2022 Rank 9

Patterson Belknap

With around 200 attorneys working out of its single outpost in Manhattan, Patterson Belknap may seem like a modest operation relative to New York’s megafirms, but the firm holds its own. Handling litigation and corporate matters on behalf of...

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#3
SCORE 9.776
2022 Rank 6

Covington & Burling

This “brain trust” law firm is known for quietly (and smartly) going about its business—that business being antitrust, litigation, white collar defense & investigations, corporate, IP, export controls, data privacy and cybersecurity, and...

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#4
SCORE 9.758
2022 Rank 5

O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Long rooted in California—where it maintains a quintet of offices—O’Melveny & Myers has branched out in all directions with offices in seven countries on three continents. The firm is known for its work in antitrust, appellate litigation,...

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#5
SCORE 9.726
2022 Rank 4

WilmerHale

With 1,000 lawyers across the U.S., Asia, and Europe, WilmerHale is a litigation powerhouse, known especially for its work in IP, securities, and appellate litigation, as well as its life sciences and technology experience. The firm counsels in...

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#6
SCORE 9.706
2022 Rank 7

Ropes & Gray

With 11 offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Ropes & Gray is an international firm that prides itself in handling cutting-edge work. A regular atop legal industry rankings, the firm is adept at assisting clients in complex, highly...

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#7
SCORE 9.688
2022 Rank 2

Orrick

Orrick is a global firm of more than 1,100 attorneys that is fiercely committed to teamwork and innovation. The firm has dozens of offices across the globe, including domestic locations in California, Washington, Massachusetts, D.C., New York,...

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#8
SCORE 9.632
2022 Rank 10

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Founded in Texas in 1945, Akin Gump has grown to become one of the world’s largest law firms, with more than 900 lawyers across 20 offices around the globe, operating at the intersection of public policy, business, and the law. From Two to...

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#9
SCORE 9.625
2022 Rank 8

Dechert

Since its founding in 1875, Dechert has become a force in the global legal market. In the United States, the firm is known for its work in antitrust, international arbitration, financial services, life sciences, strategic transactions and...

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#10
SCORE 9.591
2022 Rank 10

Kramer Levin

Rooted in New York, with offices in Silicon Valley, Washington, DC, and Paris, Kramer Levin is a full-service shop with 400 lawyers. The firm practices across dozens of areas with particular strength in bankruptcy, immigration, litigation,...

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