The Top Biglaw & Boutique Firms Headed Upmarket In Litigation (2025)

Which firms made the cut according to clients?

gavel and cash moneyLitigation continues to serve as much of the legal profession’s bread and butter, with demand trending up for all but the Am Law 50. Despite the fact that this practice area is moving away from the top firms, clients still want the very best when it comes to the quality of work on their litigation matters. According to a ranking from BTI Consulting Group, certain firms seem to be doing better than others in clients’ eyes when it comes to their grasp on complex litigation matters. From BTI’s Mad Clientist blog:

More litigation complexity equals more opportunity. Today’s market is filled to the brim with complexity.

BTI research reveals a select group of 43 law firms boosted their reputation — and delivery — to move upmarket in litigation. This is down from 54 BTI Upmarket Movers last year. It’s harder to move up the market than last year.

These upmarket firms increased their status as clients first choice and preferred providers.

These BTI Upmarket Movers know clients want ideas – new approaches to novel matters – and for old matters as well. These firms are becoming more aggressive as clients face more demanding opponents. It is far from an easy world.

So, which firms are at the top of their game from the most important point of view of all, that of their clients? The list is still quite long — 43! — but any firm that made the list is likely thrilled to be here:

  1. A&O Shearman
  2. ArentFox Schiff
  3. Axinn
  4. Baker McKenzie
  5. Benesch
  6. Blakes
  7. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
  8. Buchanan
  9. Burns & Levinson
  10. Cleary Gottlieb
  11. Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass
  12. Cozen O’Connor
  13. Davis Wright Tremaine
  14. Debevoise
  15. Dechert
  16. Dorsey
  17. Fasken
  18. Hinshaw
  19. Levenfeld Pearlstein
  20. Lewis Brisbois
  21. Mayer Brown
  22. Maynard Nexsen
  23. McCarter & English
  24. Morgan Lewis
  25. Osler
  26. Patterson Belknap
  27. Poyner Spruill
  28. Quinn Emanuel
  29. Reminger
  30. Sheppard Mullin
  31. Sidley
  32. Squire Patton Boggs
  33. Thompson Hine
  34. Trenam
  35. Troutman Pepper
  36. UB Greensfelder
  37. Warner Norcross + Judd
  38. Williams Mullen
  39. Wilson Elser
  40. Winston & Strawn
  41. Womble Bond Dickinson
  42. Woods Rogers
  43. Zwillgen

Congratulations to all the firms that made the cut, and best of luck to them as they stake out their course in new litigation horizons.

43 Law Firms Moving Upmarket in Richest Litigation Market in Years [BTI Consulting Group]


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Staci ZaretskyStaci 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.

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