The Client Service A-Team: Ranking The Biglaw Superheroes Of Client Service (2024)
Which firms are among the best of the best?
Which Biglaw firms are most beloved by general counsel for their superior client service? In 2023, the waters were a bit rough for firms, and client service apparently took a nosedive. Some firms, however, were still up to snuff when it came to pleasing their clients, and the BTI Consulting Group set out to find which firms handled the task with ease in its latest ranking, the Client Service A-Team. In case you’re unfamiliar with this ranking, it measures the top 30 law firms corporate counsel identify as delivering the very best in terms of client service.
To compile the ranking, BTI Consulting spoke with more than 300 in-house decision-makers who were asked to name firms that excelled in 17 different client-service-related activities, including important things like: mobilizing resources quickly, fielding the absolute best team, quickly assessing the situation, a commitment to help, delivering value for the dollar, client focus, and understanding the client’s business.
So, which firms are considered the best of the best when it comes to client service? Per BTI Consulting, the firms that made the latest top 30 ranking performed 9 to 15 times better than the typical law firm in terms of client service. As the report notes, “The law firms delivering superior client service are crushing it — and will continue to crush it.” Why’s that? “It is easier to keep upping your client service game if you are already good.”
Here are the top 30 firms that made the Client Service A-Team, whose names were mentioned most often across all categories:
- Kirkland
- DLA Piper
- Jones Day
- Reed Smith
- Ropes & Gray
- Gibson Dunn
- Arnold & Porter
- King & Spalding
- Littler
- Ogletree
- McGuireWoods
- Covington
- Baker McKenzie
- Foley & Lardner
- Jackson Lewis
- Davis Polk
- Jones Walker
- Faegre Drinker
- Sheppard Mullin
- McDermott
- Skadden
- Duane Morris
- Hogan Lovells
- Perkins Coie
- BakerHostetler
- Dentons
- Morgan Lewis
- Troutman Pepper
- Mintz
- Wilson Sonsini
Kirkland & Ellis is the leader of the pack once again, after kicking Jones Day out of the top spot following a six-year stint there. Law360 (sub. req.) has additional details:
This year’s report is the second in a row in which Kirkland was the top-ranked firm, and marks its 13th appearance among the Top 10.
“Corporate counsel note Kirkland’s continued improvement in keeping clients informed and dealing with unexpected changes — showcasing Kirkland & Ellis’ deep understanding of today’s business needs and ability to adapt to new circumstances,” the report said.
If attorneys at your firm make more of an effort to better understand your clients’ businesses, then you may find your place of work on this list next time around. Congratulations to all 30 firms that made it to the highest ranks of the Client Service A-Team. You’ve proven yourselves to be outstanding when it comes to making corporate clients happy, and that’s worth celebrating.
Clients Single Out the BTI Client Service 30 2024 — Law Firms Best at Client Service [BTI Consulting Group]
30 Law Firms Lead On Client Service Amid Wider Decline [Law360]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on X/Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.
