Better, Stronger, Faster: The Best Law Firms for Technology & Innovation

Tech can make or break an attorney’s day-to-day—if a firm’s technology is lacking, it can have a significant impact on an attorney’s efficiency. Firm technology that is functional, accessible, and innovative, on the other hand, can allow attorneys to maximize their time and provide optimal service to clients. And with more and more attorneys working outside of the office, firms that can offer seamless remote working capabilities set their lawyers up for success in ways that are tangible and extremely important to job satisfaction.

This year, Vault launched its first ever Best Law Firms for Technology & Innovation Ranking. In Vault’s Annual Associate Survey, associates were asked to rate their satisfaction with their firms’ technology in terms of work efficiency, remote working, and innovation on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being completely unsatisfied and 10 being completely satisfied).

Some recurring complaints among respondents were that the tech offerings are outdated, computers are slow and often crash, the document management system is antiquated, the abundance of security hinders efficiency, and the remote connections are slow. Some associates were disappointed that their firms did not provide laptops, while others felt they spent too much precious billable time trying to fix technology snafus.

Certain firms, however, stood out from the pack, either through their innovative technology practices, seamless remote offerings, technology equipment allowances and home office setup, or top-notch IT services. Below are this year’s Top 10 Best Law Firms for Technology & Innovation, along with an associate quote for each firm.

#1 Cozen O’Connor: “Technology never hinders [me] and only ever helps [me] complete my work, whether at home or at the office. Our firm is very innovative and constantly [is] adopting new platforms to deliver legal services.”

#2 Latham & Watkins LLP: “Compared to any other firm I know, Latham definitely cares about being a leader in adopting helpful technology. We have a dedicated emerging technologies committee, and our global network of tech/legal/business services support works seamlessly so there’s firmwide support 24/7; it’s actually quite incredible. The firm provides tech support that makes working remotely, on the road, from different Latham offices, or from home absolutely seamless.” Check out Latham's Why Work Here page.

#3 O’Melveny & Myers LLP: “VPN is extremely accessible, and I can work from anywhere. The firm has made an improved effort to ensure that MiFis are available so that attorneys can work effectively while traveling. Legal analytics tools are available to a greater degree than any one attorney could take advantage of, and trainings on those tools are offered frequently.” Check out OMM's Why Work Here page.

#4 White & Case LLP: “We are currently in the process of having trainings on new AI platforms the firm is adopting, and we have one of the best 24/7 service desks in the world. I would say that one of White & Case’s strengths is its ability to adapt to new technological change for forward-thinking services.” Check out White & Case's Why Work Here page.

#5 Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP: “Orrick is a forward-thinking, technology-focused firm. It has regular ‘hackathons’ to try and solve complex problems either for clients or for attorneys working at the firm.” Check out Orrick's Why Work Here page.

#6 Kirkland & Ellis LLP: “[The] firm is great about cutting out the ‘noise’ outside of legal work. My computer always works, my phone is always working, [and] they assist with my home office setup. Our jobs are stressful enough as it is, so they do a nice, great job at minimizing extraneous stress of technology not working.” Check out Kirkland's Why Work Here page.

#7 Ropes & Gray LLP: “Our equipment and personnel support are excellent. I have a complete home office set up by the firm (dual monitor, docking station, desk phone), and the firm also provides technology allowances that can be used toward things like your cell phone.” Check out Ropes & Gray's Why Work Here page.

#8 Littler Mendelson P.C.: “The firm has current technology and incredible resources to facilitate effective ... document management, client-specific needs, etc. The IT team is available 365/24/7 with any issues that may come up and is dedicated to ensuring that we have the right platforms to achieve our client’s goals.”

#9 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP: “Lots of changes in Cleary platforms, as the teleconference and billing systems were changed this year—massive upgrades creating lots of time-savings in my day-to-day.” Check out Cleary's Why Work Here page.

#10 WilmerHale: “The new remote connection system that the firm adopted has been extremely helpful in being able to work remotely without having the lag time of waiting for the VPN connection. The firm actively seeks out technology to help improve efficiency and to help cut down on costs for clients.” Check out WilmerHale's Why Work Here page.

To see the entire Top 30 Best Law Firms for Technology & Innovation Ranking, click here.

To view more Vault Law rankings, click here.