The Top Five Labor & Employment Law Firms

Attorneys in this area serve as advisors and represent companies and individuals arising out of labor and employment disputes. The “labor” side deals with union issues, advising companies on avoiding unionization of their workers, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, administering labor contracts, and litigating issues arising from union issues, including cases alleging unfair labor practice charges. On the employment side, attorneys advise companies on day-to-day employment issues, draft policies and procedures, develop and sometimes conduct trainings, draft employment and separation agreements, and litigate cases dealing with employment issues—including charges of discrimination before the EEOC or similar state agency or via individual suits. L&E law relies heavily on state law, so many firms in this area are local, but there are—of course—larger firms who focus on this area. L&E attorneys are well situated to go in-house because every company, no matter the industry, deals with labor and/or employment issues and nearly every in-house department includes one or more attorneys who have practiced in this area.

The five top-ranked Labor & Employment law firms based on Vault’s 2024 Labor & Employment prestige rankings are Littler Mendelson; Jackson Lewis; Ogletree Deakins; Morgan Lewis; and Seyfarth. Below are a few relevant highlights about each of these firms.

Littler Mendelson P.C.

Ranked at #1 in Vault’s 2024 Labor & Employment prestige rankings, Littler Mendelson also sits at #7 overall in our Diversity rankings and offers the 42nd Best Overall summer program. The firm employs over 1,500 attorneys out of a whopping 59 U.S. and 49 international offices. Associates describe the culture as friendly & collaborative, and the firm has a billable hour requirement of 1,900. Partnership is realistic for those willing to put in the work, and both counsel roles and exits to in-house roles are viable options as well.

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Jackson Lewis operates 62 U.S. offices which employ over 750 attorneys. They are the country's #2 Labor & Employment law firm. The firm has practices running the gamut of employment law, including affirmative action and preventative counseling, and is ready to tackle issues revolving around employee benefits, sexual harassment, labor relations, immigration, and substance abuse and drug testing. The firm works across myriad industries, including automotive, energy, financial services, health care, hospitality, insurance, life sciences, professional services, real estate, technology—to name some.

Ogletree Deakins

Ogletree Deakins is #3 in our 2024 Labor & Employment law prestige category. The firm operates 47 U.S. and six international offices. The firm employs over 750 attorneys, and associates describe the culture as collegial and respectful. The billable hour requirement is 1,900, and the firm is supportive of remote work. The path to partnership is transparent and realistic, and counsel roles or exits to in-house roles are viable as well.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Morgan Lewis operates from 18 U.S. and 15 international offices where it employs over 2,000 attorneys. In addition to being the #4 Labor & Employment law firm, Morgan Lewis is #33 in the overall Vault Law 100, the best Pro Bono firm in the country according to our Best Law Firms to Work For rankings, the #3 Best Overall Law Firm for Diversity, and offers the #5 overall best summer program. Associates describe the culture as welcoming & respectful, and the firm has a billable hour requirement of 2,000 and a hybrid work policy with three work-at-home days per week. The partnership path is realistic and transparent, and the firm also offers viable counsel roles and strong in-house exit opportunities.

Seyfarth

Ranked at #5 in Vault’s 2024 Labor & Employment prestige rankings, Seyfarth is also #86 in the overall Vault Law 100. They employ over 750 attorneys out of 12 U.S. and five international offices. Associates describe the culture as collegial & respectful, and the firm has a billable hour requirement of 1,950 with a hybrid three in-office days per week policy. Partnership is transparent and realistic, and both counsel roles and exit opportunities in-house or to the government are each strong as well.

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If you're qualified for and targeting a Labor & Employment job, you already have a solid fundamental idea of the kind of work you'll be doing. With that in mind, the differences between the firms that excel at that kind of work become more pronounced. We encourage you to check out the Vault Law profiles of these five, all other ranked Labor & Employment firms, and any other firms you may be interested in. Our profiles give insider info based on both firm communications and the anonymous results of our Annual Associate Survey, and allow you to learn as much as possible about what each firm is really like.

Best of luck from all of us at Vault Law on your legal job search!