Moving right along with our Vault open threads, it’s time to take a look at the firms ranked #6 – #10.
6. Weil Gotshal
7. Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett
8. Cleary
9. Covington & Burling
10. Kirkland & Ellis
Weil’s strong move up the Vault charts — the firm was ranked #9 last year — shows the power of high profile work. The Lehman bankruptcy and the General Motors restructuring were just two of the many recognizable matters Weil has had its hands on in the past 12 months.
But Weil also seems to have timed the Vault rankings quite well. The firm didn’t start deferring incoming first years until March, didn’t start laying off staff until May, and didn’t start laying off associates closing offices until the end of June.
Regardless of whether or not those moves catch up with Weil next year, right now is Weil’s time to shine in the warm recruiting light of sixth place. Congrats.
Let’s look at the other firms after the jump.
STB slides down just one spot to #7 (#7 shall henceforth be known as the “Latham Memorial 7th spot”). I don’t think anyone expects for Simpson to suffer the same fate as its #7 predecessor.
Meanwhile, we extend a warm ATL welcome to Covington & Burling. Welcome back to the V10. Keep up the good work.
The ranking for Cleary and Kirkland remains unchanged from last year.
What do you guys know about these firms that Vault does not. Please enlighten us in the comments.
Law Firm Rankings : Top 100 Law Firms [Vault]
Earlier: Fall Recruiting Open Thread: Vault 1-5 (2010)
