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According to the 2025 Vault prestige rankings, the following five firms are perceived by peer attorneys to be the best for White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations: Paul, Weiss; Covington & Burling; Williams & Connolly LLP; Gibson Dunn; and WilmerHale. The rankings are derived from the input of approximately 20,000 lawyers on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey.
Paul, Weiss
Moving into the No. 1 spot in Vault’s 2025 White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations rankings, Paul, Weiss has established five offices on the West and East Coast and an equal number of offices abroad. This legal stalwart holds 14 other top 25 Vault prestige rankings, including top five positions for its Bankruptcy/Restructuring (No. 3), Appellate Litigation (No. 4), and Securities Litigation (No. 5) practices. The firm culture is collegial and respectful. Associates appreciate the flexibility afforded by the three-day in-office policy, which helps them manage long BigLaw hours. Because of the complex matters handled by the firm, associates learn a great deal on the job, via training, and from mentors. This experience, combined with continued prosperity expected for the firm(which ranks No. 8 in Vault’s Best Firms to Work For for Business Outlook), contributes to attorney confidence in their future. Partnership is said to be attainable, counsel roles are available, and the exit opportunities are excellent. An entrepreneurial attorney who can meet the demanding hiring criteria to become 1 of the 1,000 attorneys at Paul, Weiss will be rewarded with high pay, interesting work, and a bright future.
Covington & Burling
Known specifically for its White Collar Group, comprising 100 of the firm’s 1,000 attorneys, Covington & Burling lands at the No. 2 spot in the 2025 Vault White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations rankings. The firm is No. 1 in Vault’s Best Law Firms in Washington, DC, where it was founded in 1919. Today, the firm operates five other U.S. offices, through which it offers multiple practice areas, including eight practices in Vault’s top 15 prestige rankings. Consistent with its presence in eight overseas locations, the firm excels in cross-border work, ranking No. 3 in Vault’s International practice area prestige rankings. The culture is described as “Covington nice” because of the collaborative and friendly nature of its attorneys. The firm is dedicated to pro bono work, as evident by its No. 3 placement in Vault’s Best Law Firm to Work For for Pro Bono rankings. In fact, all of the firm’s 1,950 billable hour requirement can be fulfilled with hours dedicated to pro bono work. With firm history and connections in Washington, DC, Covington attorneys easily find work in the government. For those who return from government or who never leave the firm, Covington & Burling offers counsel and non-equity partner positions. Promotion to partner is also possible; 13 new partners were named in 2023.
Williams & Connolly LLP
Another firm with deep ties to Washington, DC, Williams & Connolly, is the No. 3 firm in Vault’s White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations rankings. It is the No. 1 firm in Appellate Litigation, and it holds four other top 20 positions in Vault’s practice area prestige rankings. Attorneys wanting prestige and advancement opportunities will find them at Williams & Connolly. The firm is ranked No. 2 in both Vault’s selectivity and Business Outlook Best Law Firms to Work For rankings, and No. 5 in Vault’s Career Outlook rankings. With all attorneys working in one office, kindness and professionalism combine to create a sense of team at Williams & Connolly. Recognizing the need for proficient time management skills, firm attorneys appreciate the freedom offered via a free market system of work allocation and flexible work arrangements. Moreover, they stay busy with substantive, impactful work, but are not burdened with a billable hour requirement. Partners are generally homegrown, and those who do not make partner can find in-house or lateral opportunities with support from the firm. Consistent with its stellar reputation, firm culture, and prospects, Williams & Connolly unsurprisingly earned a high placement for attorney Satisfaction (No. 12) in Vault’s 2025 Survey.
Gibson Dunn
The No. 4 firm for White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations holds four other top five Vault practice area prestige rankings: Gibson Dunn is the No. 1 firm for Real Estate, the No. 2 firm for Appellate Litigation, the No. 3 firm for Antitrust, and the No. 4 firm for General Commercial Litigation. Moreover, it holds four top positions in Vault’s regional rankings by being the No. 1 firm in the Mountain States, the No. 2 firm in Southern California, the No. 4 firm in Washington, DC, and the No. 5 firm in Texas. The firm consists of 1,900 lawyers who work in 10 U.S. and 11 international offices. Similar to other firms on this list, hiring is selective (No. 5 in Vault’s Selectivity rankings), but those who succeed in joining the firm can look forward to working alongside personable people who have a good sense of humor. The firm does not impose a billable hour requirement, and offers flexibility in the timing and place of work while expecting attorneys to put in BigLaw hours. Associates are rewarded with a decent shot at making partner, ability to stay in long-term roles, or high likelihood of earning a position in-house or in the government.
WilmerHale
WilmerHale, a full-service firm largely recognized for its litigation prowess, moves up a spot into the No. 5 position in Vault’s 2025 White Collar Defense & Internal Investigations rankings. Throughout several mergers, the firm now known as WilmerHale, has been closely associated with high-profile government matters, including the McCarthy congressional hearings and the Watergate scandal. Today, the firm is home to 1,100 lawyers who work in seven U.S. and five international offices. Although the firm takes on contentious cases, the work environment is described as “very low conflict,” with colleagues considered to be polite and authentic. Attorneys work toward a 2,000-hour billable requirement with a three-day in-office policy. They can boast of contributing to a firm with nine top 20 Vault practice area prestige rankings, three top 15 Vault regional prestige rankings (No. 3 for Boston), and four top 25 Vault diversity rankings. Some WilmerHale lawyers are promoted to special counsel roles, and others find success pursuing in-house or government roles by leveraging the firm’s status and alumni network.
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All the firms in the top five positions in Vault’s White Collar Defense & Criminal Defense rankings are powerhouses with additional highly respected practices. They are also well-connected to both the government and top-flight clients, which makes them appealing to attorneys looking to gain access to positions outside BigLaw. In addition, several of these firms are structured with the intention of moving associates into partnership positions. In summary, they all offer associates promising opportunities.
Lawyers with an impressive education and/or legal background can consider applying to one of these selective firms. They can also apply to some of the other firms that earn high rankings from Vault. Firms in the Vault Law 100 are considered the best in BigLaw, and the Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For and the firms comprising the Top 150 Law Firms Under 150 list are among the best midsize and small shops, respectively.
The profiles of top firms at Vault.com reveal characteristics important to job seekers such as compensation, career outlook, hiring practices, and practice area information. Moreover, Vault’s Practice Area and Summer Resource Centers provide overarching information about the legal profession and opportunities, respectively, for law students.
The industry resources and law firms featured by Vault can help attorneys find their next challenge. Law students seeking high-quality experience, soon-to-be graduates looking for a coveted full-time position, and associates looking to change their circumstances through a lateral move can all learn a great deal about their options on Vault.com.
Best of luck on your legal career search from all of us at Vault Law!
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