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The South Atlantic region (excluding Atlanta, which we rank separately) is headquarters to a wide variety of firms, and the region's status as both a historic and modern legal hub cannot be overstated. Vault’s South Atlantic Regional Resource Center is designed to help candidates research the region's legal industry by pulling together the region’s top-ranked firms, firm profiles, and practical guidance tailored to South Atlantic hiring and practice realities. From there, we link to the current 2026-2027 Best Law Firms in the South Atlantic regional prestige ranking, which is based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey conducted from October 22, 2025 to January 23, 2026. Using that ranking as the anchor, this post highlights the top five large firms in the South Atlantic and what each offers to law students and lateral candidates evaluating the market.
King & Spalding LLP
Although founded & headquartered in Atlanta, King & Spalding's additional offices in the South Atlantic allow it to comfortably occupy the top spot in that region's rankings as well. The firm has grown from its Atlanta roots into an international concern with 26 offices in 11 countries and more than 1,300 attorneys. Energy, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, technology, food and beverage, higher education, and transportation are among the industries the firm serves. In addition to their regional prestige rankings, they are #36 in the current Vault Law 100, and their highest practice area rankings are in Government Relations and Health Care (#6 in both cases). Associates describe a culture that emphasizes professional courtesy and socialization, and a selective hiring process generally requiring candidates to be in the top third of the curve at a T14 or a regional law school near one of the offices.
Alston & Bird
Alston & Bird employs over 900 attorneys in eight major practice areas, including healthcare, privacy and data security, real estate, and tax. The firm serves the energy, healthcare, financial services, hospitality, infrastructure, special services, technology, and insurance sectors, as well as colleges and universities. The firm ranks #58 in the current Vault Law 100, and their highest ranked practice area (at #12) is Government Relations. Alston hires associates with an eye toward long-term retention, and to that end prioritizes cultural fit more than hiring from specific law schools.
McGuireWoods
A full-service firm with over 1,000 attorneys in 20 offices worldwide, McGuireWoods serves a range of industries, including the banking and financial services, energy, healthcare, and private equity sectors. Although their offerings are much broader, they are particularly well-known for their healthcare practice. Indeed, this is their most prestigious practice area (#12 as of our most recent survey). Associates say the culture is collegial, professional, and welcoming, and the firm emphasizes fit when hiring from a variety of law schools.
Moore & Van Allen PLLC
The highest-ranked firm whose presence is confined *entirely* to the South Atlantic region, Charlotte-based Moore & Van Allen is the *only* Charlotte-based law firm in the national top 100 for profits per partner. Over 300 attorneys operate out of just two offices, the Charlotte headquarters and a second office in Charleston. The firm is known for its expertise in banking & financial transactions, and its clients include large national banks, successful international manufacturers, growing health care and technology companies, noted retailers, and more. Over a quarter of the firm's attorneys focus on financial services, and represent lenders of all types in financings for a broad range of transaction structures, including syndicated lending, mezzanine finance, real estate lending, project and equipment finance, subscription finance, asset-based lending, and structured finance.
K&L Gates LLP
Vault ranks K&L Gates #5 in the South Atlantic for 2026-2027. K&L Gates has a reputation for a friendly and lower-pressure culture. The firm itself is one of the largest in the world, with roughly 2,000 lawyers on five different continents. The firm's strongest practice areas include asset management and investment funds; corporate; energy and infrastructure; finance; intellectual property (IP); labor, employment, and workplace safety; litigation and dispute resolution; policy and regulatory; and real estate.
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