Law Firm Rankings

The following rankings are based on over 5,600 midlevel associates (3rd, 4th & 5th year) survey responses. "Perfect" is defined as exactly what users of this site are looking for in a firm. So what's important to prospective associates? The answer might surprise you. Is the image of money-grabbing lawyers an anachronism? According to site users, realistic billable hours and interesting work are even more important. And, apparently becoming partner isn't at the forefront of users minds: communication about partnership opportunities and the chance to work and socialize with partners is nearly the least important thing to users. Below are the Top 20 Perfect Law Firms and the Least Perfect 10. The data comes from The American Lawyer's 2005 Midlevel Associates Survey. Please visit that site (free registration required) to see complete survey results for each firm.

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The Top 20 "Perfect" Firms
Rank	Law Firm	Main Office	Participating Offices	Total Midlevels	Respondents	Response Rate	Score (0-100)
1	Nutter McClennen & Fish	Boston	Boston	16	12	75%	85.2
2	Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner	Washington, DC	Atlanta; Cambridge, MA; Reston, VA; Washington, DC	51	18	35%	82.9
3	Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky	Washington, DC	Los Angeles; New York; Washington, DC	45	28	62%	82.3
3	Harter, Secrest & Emery	Rochester, NY	Albany; Buffalo; Rochester, NY	14	13	93%	81.5
5	Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler	New York	New York	47	29	62%	81.3
5	Debevoise & Plimpton	New York	New York	133	20	15%	80.8
5	Miles & Stockbridge	Baltimore	Baltimore; Easton, MD; Rockville, MD	28	16	57%	80.7
5	Cooley Godward	Palo Alto	Broomfield, CO; Palo Alto; Reston, VA; San Diego; San Francisco	83	40	48%	80.5
9	Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher	Los Angeles	Dallas; Denver; Irvine, CA; London; Los Angeles; Munich; New York; Palo Alto; San Francisco; Washington, DC	198	105	53%	80.2
9	Jenner & Block	Chicago	Chicago	81	13	16%	79.9
9	Jenkens & Gilchrist	Dallas	Austin, TX; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Pasadena	35	12	34%	79.6
12	Davis Wright Tremaine	Seattle	Bellevue, WA; Los Angeles; Portland, OR; San Francisco; Seattle; Washington, DC	46	12	26%	79.3
12	Snell & Wilmer	Phoenix	Denver; Irvine, CA; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; Tucson	71	39	55%	79.1
12	Andrews Kurth	Houston	Dallas; Houston	55	11	20%	78.9
12	Goulston & Storrs	Boston	Boston	16	11	69%	78.9
12	Lindquist & Vennum	Minneapolis	Denver; Minneapolis	15	10	67%	78.9
12	McKenna Long & Aldridge	National	Atlanta; Denver; Los Angeles; Washington, DC	40	28	70%	78.9
12	Strasburger & Price	Dallas	Austin, TX; Dallas; Frisco, TX; Houston	20	10	50%	78.9
12	Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe	San Francisco	Irvine, CA; Los Angeles; Menlo Park, CA; New York; Portland, OR; Sacramento; San Francisco; Seattle; Washington, DC	79	44	56%	78.8
12	Loeb & Loeb	Los Angeles	Los Angeles; New York	22	14	64%	78.6
12	Ropes & Gray	Boston	Boston; New York; San Francisco; Washington, DC	176	58	33%	78.6
12	Fish & Richardson	National	Boston; Dallas; Minneapolis; New York; Redwood City, CA; San Diego; Washington, DC	65	15	23%	78.5
12	Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps	San Diego	San Diego	27	14	52%	78.5
The 10 Least "Perfect" Firms
Rank	Law Firm	Main Office	Participating Offices	Total Midlevels	Respondents	Response Rate	Score (0-100)
150	Day, Berry & Howard	Hartford	Boston; Greenwich, CT; Hartford; Stamford, CT	30	16	53%	68.4
150	Duane Morris	Philadelphia	Atlanta; Boston; Miami; New York; Newark; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Princeton; San Diego; Washington, DC; Westchester, NY; Wilmington	57	38	67%	68.3
150	Preston Gates & Ellis	Seattle	Irvine, CA; Portland, OR; San Francisco; Seattle; Taipei; Washington, DC	47	19	40%	68.3
150	Alston & Bird	Atlanta	Atlanta; Charlotte, NC; New York; Raleigh; Washington, DC	122	66	54%	68.0
150	Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner	New York	New York	31	23	74%	67.9
150	Porter Wright Morris & Arthur	Columbus	Cleveland; Columbus; Dayton	31	19	61%	67.9
150	Ross, Dixon & Bell	Washington, DC	Chicago; Irvine, CA; San Diego; Washington, DC	21	16	76%	67.7
157	Cahill Gordon & Reindel	New York	New York	53	17	32%	67.3
157	Lowenstein Sandler	Roseland, NJ	Roseland, NJ	31	23	74%	67.3
159	Cravath, Swaine & Moore	New York	London; New York	106	35	33%	66.0
160	Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle	New York	New York; Stamford, CT	17	14	82%	65.4
160	Adams and Reese	New Orleans	Baton Rouge, LA; Birmingham; Houston; Jackson, MS; New Orleans	33	12	36%	64.9
160	Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft	New York	Charlotte, NC; London; New York; Washington, DC	89	33	37%	64.9
160	Proskauer Rose	New York	Boston; Los Angeles; New York; Newark	111	42	38%	64.7