2007 Best Firms to Work for in Chicago

Chicago

The Windy City is the largest city in the Midwest and has the third largest gross metropolitan product in the nation. The city has also been rated as having the most balanced economy in the United States due to its high level of diversification. For four of the past five years, the Chicago metropolitan area recorded the greatest number of new or expanded corporate facilities in the United States. Chicago is a major financial center and is home to the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (the "Merc"). Manufacturing, printing and publishing, and food processing also play major roles in the city's economy.

Chicago's strong economy relies on a healthy legal sector. In a large city, prospective law associates have many choices among law firms.

Here we look at the survey responses of thousands of associates to find out how likely they are the continue working at their current firm. This has been shown to be an accurate indicator of how content associates are, in general, with their jobs. This year Ross, Dixon & Bell, with a high response rate, was ranked as the Best Firm to Work For in Chicago.

Methodology

This ranking is based on how much over 6,000 associates like their own firms. This ranking does not include prestige, salary or other factors except as they influence how much an associate enjoys working at his or her firm, and how likely the associate is to stay at his or her current firm. Associates from all law firms did not participate. Only firms with 10 or more respondents are included.

Best Chicago Law Firms to Work For

Rank	Law Firm	Main Office	Total Midlevels	Response Rate	Score (0-100)
1	Ross, Dixon & Bell	Washington, D.C.	20	80%	80.0
2	Quarles & Brady	Milwaukee	57	54%	78.5
3	Seyfarth Shaw	National	88	52%	78.1
3	Greenberg Traurig, P.A.	National	166	41%	77.7
3	Howrey	Washington, D.C.	102	61%	77.5
6	Michael Best & Friedrich	Milwaukee	32	63%	77.3
6	Jenkens & Gilchrist	Dallas	37	51%	76.5
8	Jenner & Block	Chicago	80	25%	76.2
8	Bell, Boyd & Lloyd	Chicago	28	68%	75.6
10	Jones Day	National	324	17%	75.4
10	LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae	National	122	49%	75.2
10	Lord, Bissell & Brook	Chicago	35	31%	74.7
13	Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz	Chicago	31	42%	74.2
13	Katten Muchin Rosenman	Chicago	99	85%	73.7
13	Latham & Watkins	National	463	32%	73.6
16	Sidley Austin	National	283	47%	72.6
17	Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom	New York	371	14%	72.3
17	DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary	National	232	53%	71.8
17	McDermott, Will & Emery	National	178	32%	71.6
20	Bryan Cave	National	109	64%	71.3
20	Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal	Chicago	78	23%	71.1
20	Chapman and Cutler	Chicago	17	94%	70.5
20	Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw	National	181	42%	70.5
20	Schiff Hardin	Chicago	42	40%	70.5
25	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius	National	268	47%	70.4
26	Foley & Lardner	Milwaukee	163	41%	68.9
27	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	300	47%	68.3
27	Winston & Strawn	Chicago	141	27%	67.8
27	Holland & Knight	National	118	90%	67.6
30	Kelley Drye & Warren	New York	42	64%	65.2
31	Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon	Chicago	19	89%	63.1