Best Law Firms by Practice Area
These firms were voted strongest in each practice area by associates working in that area at peer firms. Vault's 2025 Rankings are derived from Vault's Annual Associate Survey conducted between January 2024 through March 2024.
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2025 Best Litigation Specialty Law Firms
Susman Godfrey
It doesn’t get better for litigators than working at Susman Godfrey, an elite litigation boutique with four offices and only approximately150 partners and associates. Junior associates are given immediate responsibility and treated like future partners. Susman is known for innovation, including contingency fee arrangements when representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Despite long hours and intense work, the firm is social and rewards its associates with high compensation and bonuses. Firm-hosted retreats are notable perks.
45.64% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#1
Kellogg Hansen
Formed in 1993 in Washington, DC, Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick offers opportunities to those with clerkship experience to sharpen their litigation skills quickly. It is a relatively small firm, with approximately 90 attorneys. Associates work on small teams, which means direct interaction with partners and the opportunity to dive into challenging work from day one.
27.18% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#2
Bartlit Beck LLP
Bartlit Beck proudly labels itself as “a firm of trial lawyers, not litigators.” With more than 80 attorneys in two offices—one in Chicago and one in Denver—Bartlit Beck is best known for handling high-stakes litigation of all kinds and is often hired to “save the day” just before trial begins. It’s no wonder, considering the firm’s strong lineup—the majority of Bartlit Beck lawyers have completed a federal clerkship, and 15 percent have clerked on the U.S. Supreme Court.
14.92% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#3
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
Keker, Van Nest & Peters is a midsize firm rooted in California. The firm's lawyers are skilled in everything from intellectual property disputes to white collar criminal defense to commercial litigation, but the firm is best known for its litigation and IP prowess. It is among the Top 5 firms in Vault’s Litigation Boutique Law Firm and Intellectual Boutique Law Firm rankings. The firm has also been recognized as a firm committed to supporting a diverse workplace.
13.34% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#4
Selendy Gay PLLC
Formed by a group of ex-Quinn Emmanuel partners, Selendy Gay was destined to become a powerhouse litigation shop before it even opened its doors. Just north of 40 attorneys, each with an impressive resume, Selendy Gay lives up to expectations with its navigation of complex, bet-the-company matters. Among the firm’s practices are antitrust, appellate litigation, bankruptcy, complex commercial litigation, insurance, private equity, products liability, securities, and white collar.
11.61% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#5
Hecker Fink LLP
Hecker Fink LLP is a litigation boutique based out of the Big Apple. With around 50 lawyers, the firm is known for its white collar strength, as well as its commitment to public interest litigation. One of the firm’s first matters involved the violence stemming from a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, in 2017. The firm has also assisted in setting up the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, among other things.
11.03% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#6
MoloLamken LLP
In just over a decade of existence and with fewer than 40 attorneys, MoloLamken has quickly made a name for itself among the heavy hitters of boutique litigation shops. With offices in three of the country’s major metropolises—New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC—MoloLamken’s attorneys focus on complex business litigation, white collar criminal defense, and intellectual property. MoloLamken only hires laterally, putting a premium on experience when it comes to handling the high-stakes, complicated cases the firm takes on.
8.51% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#10
McKool Smith
McKool Smith is a trial firm with a reputation for victory in the courtroom in “bet-the-company” cases and beyond. With seven offices coast to coast, the firm’s experienced trial attorneys represent both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial cases, intellectual property disputes, bankruptcy litigation, securities litigation and white collar defense. McKool Smith takes diversity seriously, and since January 2020 has retained Coston Consulting, a Black-owned business advisory firm, to help further develop and implement diversity initiatives.
7.64% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#9
Kobre & Kim
A global litigation firm founded in 2003 by two former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors, Kobre & Kim is now home to more than 120 attorneys worldwide. It is a go-to firm for complex cross-border dispute resolution. Uniquely, the firm generally avoids repeat client relationships—and the associated conflicts of interest—and thus is often engaged by other law firms to act as special litigation counsel to handle trial work in complex disputes.
7.50% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#7
Hueston Hennigan LLP
With more than 75 lawyers in Southern California, Hueston Hennigan is a litigation boutique that has made a name for itself as one of the go-to trial firms in the country. The firm prides itself in handling high-stakes litigation with an eye toward trial from the start. Its litigators work across nearly 20 practice areas, including antitrust, appellate, commercial litigation, consumer fraud, class actions, health care, securities, trade secrets, and white collar, to name a handful.
5.84% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#8
Wilkinson Stekloff
Wilkinson Stekloff is a leading litigation boutique with offices in Washington, DC and New York City. Since its founding in 2016, the 40-lawyer firm has tried over 20 cases to verdict, stacking up win after win. Small but mighty, the firm focuses on winning high-stakes trials while actively encouraging its attorneys to take on pro bono matters. Notably, Wilkinson Stekloff eschews the traditional billable model, both in terms of client fee arrangements and attorney timekeeping at the firm, which is appreciated by all parties.
5.77% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#11
Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello P.C.
Since 1973, Morvillo Abramowitz has established itself as a respected litigation boutique. With about 50 attorneys in its New York City office, Morvillo Abramowitz is small and flexible enough to be able to move the right talent to where specific expertise is needed in representing individual and institutional clients, yet large enough to commit whatever resources a client may need. Specialties within the firm’s litigation umbrella include white collar criminal defense, regulatory enforcement, commercial disputes, and securities litigation.
4.47% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#12
YetterColeman LLP
Formidable Texan litigation boutique firm Yetter Coleman is adept at achieving complete reversals, no-payment judgments and hefty settlements on million-dollar claims. Its selective hiring practices ensure that its league of 50 lawyers is comprised of nothing but the best trial and appellate talent. The firm is especially noted for its expertise in contracts, business torts, appellate litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, securities, and energy. Yetter Coleman’s clients have included American Airlines, Chevron, IBM, and General Electric.
3.68% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#15
Edelson PC
Edelson PC was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 2007, and has added three offices in the United States: Boulder, Colorado; San Francisco, California; and Washington, DC. The firm focuses on high-impact plaintiff’s class action and mass action litigation, as well as public impact and public client investigation cases. It also works with governmental entities in shaping legislation and representing these entities in actions brought on behalf of consumers. The firm’s efforts have secured $45 billion in settlements and judgments for its clients. The firm has been recognized by Law360 as an Illinois Powerhouse, the only plaintiff’s firm to receive this distinction, and founder Jay Edelson has been recognized by Law360 as a Titan of the Plaintiff’s Bar and by Lawdragon as a top Plaintiff Financial Lawyer.
3.61% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#18
Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Texas litigation boutique Gibbs & Bruns has stayed true to its roots as a high-stakes commercial litigation firm. The firm is known for procuring settlements and verdicts of well into the millions and billions for major clients in all industries. Gibbs & Bruns is acclaimed for its expertise in business and commercial disputes and its ability to represent clients on either side of the docket. Whether through arbitration, settlement, or trial, the firm handles cases in an array of industries—though it is especially well known for its expertise in the financial, energy, and technology sectors.
3.46% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#19
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
Robbins Geller knows its way around the courtroom, with experience ranging from antitrust and appellate to ERISA and securities—and more. The firm is best known for its securities litigation work, especially with regarding to corporate securities fraud and securities class actions. And the firm goes beyond legal work when it comes to serving its institutional investor client base. It developed a unique Portfolio Monitoring Program to ensure the safety of its clients’ funds, at no extra cost to clients.
3.39% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#16
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP
Based in the nation's capital, Zuckerman Spaeder is a litigation boutique focused primarily on white collar defense, government investigations, complex commercial disputes, and healthcare litigation. The firm’s attorneys are known for navigating high-stakes disputes and coming to the aid of high-profile individuals in hot water. Beyond its client work, the firm also runs the blog InsightZS— dedicated to thoughtful discourse on emerging litigation and investigations issues of the day
3.39% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#13
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Cohen Milstein is one of the most feared plaintiffs-side litigation firms in the country, representing individuals, whistleblowers, public entities and other institutions in cases that raise challenging, significant, and often novel issues. The DC-based firm has more than 90 attorneys operating out of seven offices accross the country who specialize in winning David-vs-Goliath battles against giant corporations with significantly more resources than those they have wronged.
3.24% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#17
Beck Redden LLP
Beck Redden attorneys do not fear trial—in fact, they thrive in the courtroom. With more than 40 attorneys operating out of the firm’s office in Houston, Beck Redden has established itself as a Texas powerhouse and often appears in the top tier in national rankings. Some of Beck Redden’s most high-profile clients have included ExxonMobil, Wells Fargo, and Dynegy, and the firm is known for its work in the Deepwater Horizon litigation.
3.17% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#14
AZA
Based in Houston, Texas, and home to over 50 lawyers, Ahmad, Zavitsanos and Mensing P.C., known as AZA, is a boutique litigation firm that is “talented, tough and courtroom tested.” AZA attorneys participate in substantive trial work from the start, contributing to the firm’s strength in the courtroom. The firm counsels clients of all sizes, from multinational companies to individuals, and is known for its attorneys’ skill in both commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation, as well as other practice areas.
3.10% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#Not Ranked
Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP
Founded in 1983, Bernstein Litowitz handles class and private actions relating to complex commercial litigation for corporate, institutional, and private clients. Bernstein Litowitz has recovered more than $30 billion on behalf of its clients since its founding in 1983 and has obtained six of the largest 12 securities recoveries in history. One of the firm’s biggest recent recoveries was in 2016 when it obtained a $1.06 billion settlement with pharma giant Merck & Co, Inc.
3.10% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#Not Ranked
Hollingsworth LLP
Premier DC firm Hollingsworth LLP specializes in taking on complex civil litigation for both high-stakes trials and appellate matters. Clients seek its counsel in complex litigation matters involving toxic torts, product liability, pharmaceutical, business, environmental, insurance, government investigation, and regulatory matters. Among other areas, the firm is known for its work in the pharmaceutical industry, having played an integral role in one of the most significant products liability cases of the 21st century.
3.10% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#22
Bird, Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks & Nessim, LLP
Bird Marella was established in Los Angeles in 1981 by two former Assistant United States Attorneys. Home to a team of trial lawyers, the firm’s bench includes former Assistant United States Attorneys and law clerks. The firm’s lawyers work across more than a dozen practice areas, often handling high-stakes disputes. In addition, the firm has become a “go-to” for international, regional, and boutique law firms and individual lawyers needing advice and representation in matters concerning their legal practice.
3.03% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#25
Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP
Holwell Shuster & Goldberg is a heavy-hitting litigation boutique with one office in New York. The firm specializes in complex commercial cases, dealing with financial, securities, antitrust, intellectual property, and bankruptcy-related disputes. The firm’s clients have included Bank of New York Mellon, Foursquare, the Herzog Collection, HSBC, Kickstarter, Meetup, U.S. Bank, Vimeo, and Visa. The firm also works hard to recruit diverse talent, and attorneys play prominent roles in diversity-focused organizations.
2.96% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#Not Ranked
Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC
With just over 60 attorneys, Lightfoot, Franklin & White is a litigation boutique with roots in Alabama but a strong reach across the U.S. Over the past 30 years, the firm’s lawyers have spent more than 4,400 days at trial. Lightfoot encourages its attorneys to gain broad experience. Attorneys embrace a specialization, while also gaining broader experience across areas. The firm notes that this approach makes it more “nimble” and better able to serve its clients’ ever-changing needs.
2.74% of Votes
2024 Ranking
#19
