Announcing Vault Law's 2026 Best Law Firms to Work For

Today, Vault announces its Best Law Firm to Work For rankings. These rankings are based on associates’ assessments of their own firms. More than 20,000 associates participated in Vault’s survey, through which they were asked to rate their satisfaction with their current career outlook, the quality of work assignments they are given, their work hours, and other quality-of-life factors. Vault’s survey was open from January 28 to March 21, 2025.

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O’Melveny & Myers LLP continues to hold the title of Overall Best Law Firm to Work For. This Los Angeles-based firm has ranked among the top three Overall Best Law Firms to Work For every year in the past decade. The firm also takes the top spot in multiple other ranking categories this year, namely Satisfaction, Firm Culture, Hours, Career Outlook, and Wellness. Associates say that attorneys at the firm participate in organic socializing and conversations, there is an open door culture, and there is a clear and realistic path to partnership. The firm also ranks first in the Best Summer Associate Programs rankings, which are based on questions answered by junior associates looking back on and rating their summer experience at the firm. Past participants in O’Melveny’s summer associate program note that the firm provides intensive training opportunities and summer social events are well-attended by attorneys, including partners.

The No. 2 firm in the Overall Best Law Firm to Work For rankings is Morgan Lewis, & Bockius LLP, which was also No. 2 last year. Morgan Lewis is the top firm in multiple areas. It is the No. 1 firm in the Associate/Partner Relations, Quality of Work, Technology & Innovation, Formal Training, Informal Training, Compensation, Pro Bono, and Integration of Laterals & Clerks rankings. Associates praise the firm’s mentoring programs (incoming associates are assigned both partner and associate mentors), adoption of AI tools, and pro bono policy (which both allows attorneys to bill an unlimited number of pro bono hours and requires attorneys to complete at least 20 hours of pro bono work per year to be bonus-eligible). Compensation at Morgan Lewis does not vary by office, meaning attorneys in markets such as Philadelphia (where the firm is headquartered) and Pittsburgh are paid on the Cravath scale. The firm also ranks first in Overall Inclusion. It is one of the largest law firms in the world led by a woman; Jami McKeon has chaired the firm since 2014.

The No. 3 firm in the Overall Best Law Firm to Work For rankings is Clifford Chance US LLP (the U.S. arm of the London-based firm) again this year. The No. 4 firm is McDermott Will & Emery (which was also No. 4 last year), and the No. 5 firm is Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (which leaps eight spots from No. 13 last year and moves up in ranking categories such as Career Outlook and Hours). Three other firms moved into the top 10: Florida-based Gunster is No. 6 this year (jumping from No. 12 last year), Sheppard Mullin is No. 7 (rising from No. 11 last year), and Mayer Brown LLP is No. 8 (leaping from No. 37 last year).

Last week, the Vault 100, a list of the most prestigious law firms in the nation (according to associates), was released. Among the top 20 most prestigious law firms, one firm is also among the top 20 in Vault’s Overall Best Law Firms to Work For: Simpson Thacher, the No. 10 firm in the Vault 100, is No. 18 on the Best Law Firms to Work For list. Three other Vault 20 firms are among the Top 30 Overall Best Law Firms to Work For: Gibson Dunn (No. 11 in the Vault 100 and No. 21 in the Best Law Firms to Work For), Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (No. 16 in the Vault 100 and No. 24 in the Best Law Firms to Work For), and Weil (No. 15 in the Vault 100 and No. 26 in the Best Law Firms to Work For). Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the No. 2 law firm in the Vault 100, is No. 1 for Selectivity.

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All the Best Law Firms to Work For rankings are available at https://vault.com/best-companies-to-work-for/law.