In the 2023 survey, we identified the best-performing law firms for associate career development
Methodology
For every firm taking part in our annual interview-based research, we also invite their junior associates to respond to an online survey covering every aspect of law firm life. They complete 40 questions asking about everything from their initial views on the firm and its competitors, to their relationships with partners and clients, to the firm's handling of D&I and pro bono. We also ask them about their expectations, aspirations and how important all these factors were when joining the profession and how those views change as they mature. Each question involves a rating, which we agglomerate here for comparison. The career progression scores are a combination of all topics that can affect career progression, such as work acquisition and practice-building, partner mentoring and client contact, support on menial tasks, quality of case experiences, D&I policy affecting upward progress, pro bono work that develops skills.
The top law firms for Career Development 2023
The Elite
Dechert | Duane Morris | Finnegan | Fish & Richardson | Gibson, Dunn | Holwell Shuster & Goldberg | McDermott | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius | Munger, Tolles & Olson | White & Case |
Excellent performer
Adam Leitman Bailey | Arnold & Porter | Ashurst | Clifford Chance | Crowell & Moring | Goulston & Storrs | Greenberg Glusker | Jackson Walker | Morrison & Foerster | Patterson Belknap | Paul Hastings | Ropes & Gray | Sidley Austin | Wiley Rein | Wilson Sonsini |
Strong performer
Axinn | Baker Botts | Brown Rudnick | Foley & Lardner | Foley Hoag | Freshfields | Greenberg Traurig | Gunderson | Haynes and Boone | Holland & Knight | Jenner & Block | Jones Day | Katten | Kramer Levin | Latham & Watkins | Norton Rose Fulbright | Orrick | Perkins Coie | Pillsbury | Proskauer Rose | Sterne Kessler | Vedder Price | Willkie Farr | WilmerHale | Winston & Strawn |
Endorsed
Allen & Overy | Alston & Bird | Bracewell | Cadwalader | Cahill | Cleary Gottlieb | Covington & Burling | Cozen O'Connor | Cravath | Davis Polk & Wardwell | Debevoise & Plimpton | DLA Piper | Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath | Fox Rothschild | Fried, Frank | Goodwin | Hogan Lovells US | Hunton Andrews Kurth | Irell & Manella | K&L Gates | Kasowitz | King & Spalding | Linklaters | Mayer Brown | Milbank | Mintz Levin | Nelson Mullins | Paul, Weiss | Polsinelli | Reed Smith | Richards, Layton & Finger | Schulte Roth & Zabel | Seward & Kissel | Seyfarth Shaw | Shearman & Sterling | Sheppard, Mullin | Simpson Thacher | Skadden | Sullivan & Cromwell | Venable | Vinson & Elkins | Weil |
