DLA Piper

As of 2024, several corporate law firms are recognized for their exceptional services and influence in the legal industry. Here are some of the top firms:

Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Headquartered in Chicago, Kirkland & Ellis leads the industry with $8.8 billion in revenue for 2024. The firm specializes in private equity, restructuring, and litigation, serving clients like Apollo Global and Blackstone. (lawyer-monthly.com)

Latham to exit Shanghai, move personnel to Beijing | Asian Legal Business Latham & Watkins LLP
Based in Los Angeles, Latham & Watkins reported $5.8 billion in revenue in 2024. The firm is renowned for cross-border M&A, capital markets, and technology transactions, representing clients such as Tesla and Goldman Sachs. (gpldeb.com)

DLA Piper
With offices in over 40 countries, DLA Piper is a global leader in corporate law, real estate, and regulatory matters. The firm serves clients like Microsoft, Uber, and Siemens. (expertlawattorneys.com)

Largest Law Firms in the World Right Now [According to Experts] Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Skadden is a top firm in handling mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate restructuring, managing some of the largest corporate transactions. In 2024, Skadden remains a dominant force in high-profile business litigation. (expertlawattorneys.com)

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Based in New York, Wachtell Lipton is a prestigious corporate law firm recognized for its high-profile corporate transactions and litigation. Established in 1965, they provide legal services to major corporations and financial institutions on issues related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance. (firms.com)

These firms are consistently recognized for their expertise and influence in corporate law, handling complex transactions and providing strategic counsel to leading corporations worldwide.

Top Corporate Law Firms

Based on current rankings, revenue data, and industry reputation, here are the firms consistently recognized as leaders in corporate law:

By Size & Revenue (Am Law 200 / Global 200)

• Kirkland & Ellis – According to the National Law Journal's 2025 NLJ 500 ranking of firms based on size, Kirkland & Ellis has 3828 attorneys and is ranked 4th in the United States, and with $10,556,000,000 gross revenue in 2025, the firm placed 1st on The American Lawyer's 2026 Am Law 200 ranking. On the 2025 Global 200 survey, Kirkland & Ellis ranked as the 1st highest grossing law firm in the world.

• Latham & Watkins – Has 3584 attorneys, ranked 5th in size in the U.S., with $8,300,000,000 gross revenue in 2025, placing 2nd on the 2026 Am Law 200 ranking. It ranked as the 2nd highest grossing law firm in the world on the 2025 Global 200 survey.

• DLA Piper – Has 4827 attorneys and is the 2nd largest firm in the U

When identifying the "best" corporate law firms, several reputable rankings and criteria are considered, including prestige, revenue, global reach, and specialized practice areas. Similarly, "top brands or products" in the corporate legal sector primarily refer to the essential legal research platforms, software, and technology tools that legal professionals utilize for efficiency and accuracy.

Top Corporate Law Firms

Several firms consistently rank among the best globally and in the U.S. for their corporate law practices. These firms are recognized for their expertise in areas such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, corporate finance, and litigation.

Globally Recognized Firms:

• Kirkland & Ellis LLP: Consistently ranked among the top globally by revenue and recognized for its work in private equity, M&A, and restructuring.
• Latham & Watkins LLP: A global elite firm known for its strategic growth and balanced approach to practice areas, including sophisticated transactional work and litigation.
• Baker McKenzie: One of the largest law firms in the world with a vast international presence, specializing in areas like antitrust, banking and finance, private equity, and M&A.
• DLA Piper: Leads in client service and has a strong international footprint, with expertise across various practice areas.
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP: A powerhouse in corporate transactions and litigation, maintaining elite status through diversification and global reach.
• Allen & Overy LLP (now A&O Shearman): Frequently recognized among leading global firms by revenue and known for strong corporate practices.
• Clifford Chance LLP: Another prominent global firm, often listed among the top by revenue.
• Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP: Ranks among the most prestigious firms, known for its litigation practice and strong corporate work.
• Sidley Austin LLP: A highly-ranked firm with a significant presence in corporate law.
• Ropes & Gray LLP: Committed to high-level representation and known for its work in private equity and other corporate areas.
• White & Case: A global firm often listed among the top in terms of revenue and number of lawyers.

Highly Prestigious U.S. Firms (often with global reach):

• Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP: Often considered the "gold standard" of legal practice, known for exceptional client service and attorney training.
• Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Consistently ranks among the top in prestige.
• Sullivan & Cromwell LLP: Adopts a generalist approach, allowing lawyers to work across industries and subgroups with a strong international presence.
• Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP: Ranks highly in prestige and offers robust corporate legal services.
• Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP: A top-tier firm with strong corporate capabilities.

Top Brands & Products (Legal Technology) for Corporate Law

Corporate legal professionals widely use various legal technology tools to manage cases, conduct research, streamline workflows, and enhance productivity.

Legal Research Platforms: These are fundamental for finding and analyzing case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources.

• Westlaw (Thomson Reuters): A comprehensive and widely used legal research database, including its KeyCite feature for validating legal authority, Westlaw Edge, and Westlaw Precision for advanced AI-driven research.
• LexisNexis (Lexis+): Another major player offering extensive legal research, business information, and its Shepard's Citation Service for verifying case law validity. Lexis+ also incorporates Generative AI capabilities.
• Bloomberg Law: Provides integrated legal research, news, analysis, and business intelligence, with advanced search and citation analysis.
• Fastcase: Known for its AI-enhanced search capabilities and comprehensive legal data access, often integrated with bar associations.
• Casetext (CoCounsel): Offers AI-assisted research workflows, with CoCounsel specifically designed to aid legal professionals with research, drafting, and document review.

Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) & Matter Management Software: These solutions help corporate legal departments manage matters, control spend, and streamline workflows.

• Thomson Reuters Legal Tracker: Helps corporate legal departments manage matters, control spend, and automate invoice approvals.
• TeamConnect: Designed for enterprise legal management, assisting organizations with matters, spend, documents, and compliance activities.
• BusyLamp: Manages legal spend and matter management, streamlining invoice review, budgeting, and reporting.
• Ascent ELM: Assists legal departments with managing matters, contracts, and compliance activities.
• Legal Files: Supports the management of legal matters, documents, and workflow for various legal entities.

Document Management & Automation Software: Essential for organizing, drafting, reviewing, and securing legal documents.

• Litera: Provides software for drafting, proofreading, comparing, repairing, and cleaning documents, empowering users to generate high-quality content.
• Everlaw: A leading online legal management tool for e-discovery, used by corporations, law firms, and government agencies for identifying and investigating electronically stored data.
• Microsoft 365: Widely used for office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and is a leading brand for video conferencing in law firms.
• AI-powered drafting tools: Emerging platforms like Harvey AI and CoCounsel are designed to assist with legal drafting and document automation.

Practice Management & Workflow Solutions: These tools help law firms manage their overall operations.

• Clio: A legal AI platform used by many legal professionals for document analysis, drafting, and case management.
• Project management platforms: Tools like Dashboard Legal help manage workflows and deadlines efficiently.

Other Important Legal Tech Categories:

• E-billing and spend management software: Crucial for controlling legal costs and processing invoices.
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools: For managing contracts from creation to execution and renewal.
• Cybersecurity tools: Essential for protecting sensitive client and firm data.
• Generative AI platforms: Increasingly being adopted for legal research, drafting, summarization, and analysis workflows.