NYSE Governance Services, publisher of Corporate
Board Member magazine, and FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN), the
global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect
and enhance their enterprise value, today announced the results of the 14th
annual America’s Best Corporate Law Firms study, a comprehensive
ranking by U.S. corporate directors and general counsel of the top 25
corporate law firms.
New York’s Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom received the top ranking
among corporate directors, a position it has held since the first survey
in 2001. New York-based Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and
Cleveland-based Jones Day were ranked second and third, respectively,
followed by New York-based Sullivan & Cromwell. The fifth and sixth
place rankings are held by Los Angeles-based Latham & Watkins and New
York-based Cravath, Swaine & Moore, respectively.
Also comprising this year’s list are many of the firms among the top 10
rankings in recent years. New York-based Davis Polk & Wardwell, Los
Angeles-based Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Palo Alto-based Wilson Sonsini
Goodrich & Rosati have traditionally fared in the top half of the
national list each year. Six new firms were added to this year’s list:
Atlanta-based King & Spalding (15), New York-based White & Case (19),
New York-based Cleary Gottlieb (24), Chicago-based Winston & Strawn
(25-tie), Atlanta-based Alston & Bird (25-tie) and Palo Alto-based
Cooley (25-tie).
“As an advisor to 95 of the world’s top 100 law firms, FTI Consulting
applauds this prestigious list of honorees,” said Neal Hochberg, Global
Leader of the Forensic and Litigation Consulting segment at FTI
Consulting. “Each of these distinguished firms, many of which continue
to top this list year after year, has been recognized for their strong
corporate stewardship, geographic scope and reputation. We are proud to
continue our longstanding partnership with NYSE Governance Services to
honor these firms for their unyielding commitment to their clients.”
In a separate survey of corporate general counsel, Wachtell, Lipton,
Rosen & Katz held onto its first place position followed by longtime
leader Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom ranking second and
Cleveland-based Jones Day ranking third. In fourth and fifth place this
year are two Los Angeles-based firms Latham & Watkins and Gibson, Dunn &
Crutcher, respectively. New appearances on the general counsel rankings
this year include Washington, D.C.-based WilmerHale, New York firms
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Cleary Gottlieb, and Atlanta’s King &
Spalding and Alston & Bird.
“We congratulate all of these leading organizations – both returning
firms and new ones – selected as top corporate law firms by directors
and their general counsel peers,” said Jean-Marc Levy, New York Stock
Exchange, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Issuer
Services. “These rankings recognize their place among corporate
directors and general counsel as trusted legal advisers with proven
track records.”
2014 National Law Firm Directors’ Rankings (with
2013 rankings in parentheses)
1 SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM, NEW YORK (1)
2 WACHTELL, LIPTON, ROSEN & KATZ, NEW YORK (3)
3 JONES DAY, CLEVELAND (2)
4 SULLIVAN & CROMWELL, NEW YORK (6)
5 LATHAM & WATKINS, LOS ANGELES (7)
6 CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE, NEW YORK (8)
7 DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL, NEW YORK (15)
8 BAKER & MCKENZIE, CHICAGO (5)
9 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER, LOS ANGELES (11)
10 WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, PALO ALTO (10)
11 SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT, NEW YORK (16)
12 SIDLEY AUSTIN, CHICAGO (13)
13 KIRKLAND & ELLIS, CHICAGO (9)
14 PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON, NEW YORK (21)
15 KING & SPALDING, ATLANTA (-)
16 WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES, NEW YORK (4)
17 AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD, WASHINGTON, D.C. (25)
18 SHEARMAN & STERLING, NEW YORK (14)
19 WHITE & CASE, NEW YORK (-)
20 ARNOLD & PORTER, WASHINGTON, D.C. (23)
21 MORRISON & FOERSTER, SAN FRANCISCO (22)
22 WINSTON & STRAWN, CHICAGO (-)
23 ALSTON & BIRD, ATLANTA (-)
24 CLEARY GOTTLIEB, NEW YORK (-)
25 (tie) COOLEY, PALO ALTO (-)
(tie) FOLEY & LARDNER, MILWAUKEE (20)
(tie) VINSON & ELKINS, HOUSTON (18)
Source: NYSE Governance Services/FTI Consulting, America’s Best
Corporate Law Firms, 2014
2014 National Law Firms General Counsel’s Rankings
(with 2013 rankings in parentheses)
1 WACHTELL, LIPTON, ROSEN & KATZ, NEW YORK (1)
2 SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM, NEW YORK (2)
3 JONES DAY, CLEVELAND (7)
4 LATHAM & WATKINS, LOS ANGELES (3)
5 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER, LOS ANGELES (5)
6 SULLIVAN & CROMWELL, NEW YORK (15)
7 SIDLEY AUSTIN, CHICAGO (6)
8 DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL, NEW YORK (10)
9 BAKER & MCKENZIE, CHICAGO (4)
10 REED SMITH, PITTSBURGH (17)
11 DLA PIPER, ATLANTA (8)
12 MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS, PHILADELPHIA (11)
13 WILMERHALE, WASHINGTON, D.C. (0)
14 KIRKLAND & ELLIS, CHICAGO (18)
15 SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT, NEW YORK (-)
16 MORRISON & FOERSTER, SAN FRANCISCO (14)
17 CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE, NEW YORK (9)
18 NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT, HOUSTON (23)
19 HOGAN LOVELLS, WASHINGTON, D.C. (20)
20 KING & SPALDING, ATLANTA (-)
21 GOODWIN PROCTER, BOSTON (22)
22 WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, PALO ALTO (16)
23 CLEARY GOTTLIEB, NEW YORK (-)
24 LITTLER MENDELSON, SAN FRANCISCO (21)
25 (tie) ALSTON & BIRD, ATLANTA (-)
(tie) WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES, NEW YORK (24)
Source: NYSE Governance Services/FTI Consulting, America’s Best
Corporate Law Firms, 2014
NYSE Governance Service and FTI Consulting hosted the seventh annual
Legal Recognition Dinner at the Grand Hyatt in New York City on May 13,
2014. The event, sponsored by Georgeson, a Computershare company, Second
City Communications and RR Donnelley & Sons, honored distinguished
general counsel and the top 25 national corporate law firms as
identified by board members and general counsel in the 2014 survey.
Research Methodology
The America’s Best Corporate Law Firms survey was conducted
February-April 2014 as part of the annual Law in the Boardroom survey,
which asks directors and general counsel of U.S. publicly traded
companies to weigh in on current governance and legal matters. More than
500 directors and general counsel of publicly traded companies
participated in this year’s survey. Results from this year’s survey are
to be released the week of May 19, 2014.
About NYSE Governance Services
NYSE Governance Services is an integrated suite of resources for public
and privately held companies worldwide seeking to create a leadership
advantage through corporate governance, risk, ethics, and compliance
practices. NYSE Governance Services leverages the expertise of
Corpedia®, a leader in risk assessment and e-learning for ethics and
compliance, and Corporate Board Member®, a trusted source on governance
matters for company directors and C-level executives—both NYSE Euronext
companies. NYSE Governance Services offers a range of training programs,
advisory services, benchmarking analysis and scorecards, exclusive
access to peer-to-peer events, and thought leadership on key governance
topics for company directors and C-level executives. www.nyse.com/governance
About FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to
helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an
increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With
more than 4,200 employees located in 26 countries, FTI Consulting
professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and
overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations,
litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation
management, strategic communications and restructuring. The Company
generated $1.65 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2013. More
information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2014