America's Best Corporate Lawyers 2005
from July/August 2005
In Corporate Board Member ’s fifth annual survey, 1,483 directors selected the law firms they most admire, nationally and in 25 metropolitan areas.
The 20 national leaders are ranked at right, with Skadden Arps in first place for the fifth straight year. Two firms not in last year’s top 20—Milbank Tweed and Wilmer Cutler—make this one’s, replacing Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison and Covington & Burling.
|
The Top 20 Law Firms |
Last Year’s
Ranking |
| 1. Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom - New York | 1 |
| 2. Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz - New York | 3 |
| 3. Cravath Swaine & Moore - New York | 2 |
| 4. Sullivan & Cromwell - New York | 4 |
| 5. Jones Day - Cleveland | 7 |
| 6. Davis Polk & Wardwell - New York | 5 |
| 7. Baker & McKenzie - Chicago | 6 |
| 8. Kirkland & Ellis - New York | 11 |
| 9. Latham & Watkins - Los Angeles | 10 |
| 10. Shearman & Sterling - New York | 13 |
| 11. Weil Gotshal & Manges - New York | 9 |
| 12. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher - Los Angeles | 8 |
| 13. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati - Palo Alto | 18 |
| 14. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld - Dallas | 16 |
| 15. Fulbright & Jaworski - Houston | 12 |
| 16. O’Melveny & Myers - Los Angeles | 15 |
| 17. Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy - New York | - |
| 18. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr - Washington, D.C. | - |
| 19. Sidley Austin Brown & Wood - Chicago | 20 |
| 20. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett - New York | 17 |
