Law firms are business entities formed by attorney and non-attorney executives that work to provide clients with legal support and representation in court in matters regarding litigation, arbitration, patents, copyright or property matters, as well as any financial, business, administrative or labour matters.
Other than the biggest ones characterized by significant experience, prestige and annual revenue, there are also many boutique law firms.
When choosing the law firm that would best suit your needs, you can consider their reputation, reach or annual revenue, but also strategy, transparency, culture and employee satisfaction, costs and fees.
Nowadays, given the globalization and internationalization processes companies undergo when mergers and acquisitions happen or when companies enter alliances or open new branches in foreign countries, having an international edge can make a difference.
To help you in your decision, we have compiled a list of the 20 best law firms in the world, listed below in alphabetical order.
If you are seeking a law firm in your country or wish to send multiple quotes to various law A-players, here is the Tax & Legal Explorer, a database made up of thousands of top-notch Tax & Legal consulting firms.
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP | This is a leading global law firm with offices spreading on all four continents and unrivaled reputation, especially considering it offers legal representation to national governments. Renowned dominant player in the international and corporate business world, it possesses a flair for litigation matters and offers a comprehensive suite of resources to its clients, including advice on sovereign debt offerings |
| Covington & Burling LLP | This law firm is well known for being a renowned litigation, white collar defense & investigations, corporate, export controls, data privacy and cybersecurity law firm. It works primarily with in the insurance, science & pharma, energy, IT/tech, entertainment and sports industries |
| Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP | It is one of US’s preeminent and oldest law firms, leading the market with when it comes to hiring practices, salaries and bonuses and a modern hiring approach |
| Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP | One of the leading corporate law firms, it skillfully covers any matter regarding finance, mergers, acquisitions and restructuring of companies and tax. It also offers high-end civil litigation and white collar criminal defense practices |
| Debevoise & Plimpton LLP | With mergers and acquisitions and private equity leading the charge, this firm particularly experienced when it comes to complex leveraged acquisitions and cross-border transactions. Its lawyers consistently represent high-profile clients in disputes and transactions for some of the most prestigious financial services institutions, private equity firms and corporations in the world |
| Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | This firm is well known for its litigation and trial work, especially its appellate and securities litigation practices. It also offers support for antitrust, private equity, mergers and acquisitions and real estate/property matters |
| Jones Day | Spanning continents, the firm is one of very few to have received this ranking year after year. Its varied and thriving practices include appellate and securities litigation, antitrust, financial markets, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, international law and labor and employment. This firms also supports all kinds of industries – from aviation to biotechnology, from construction to defense, from media to media to oil and gas |
| Kirkland & Ellis | Possibly one of the finest US corporate law firms, it is world-renowned for its IP, litigation, M&A and restructuring and transactional counseling work. It is an authority with it comes to private equity with over 450 private equity clients in its list and highly esteemed in the field my international ranking systems |
| Latham & Watkins LLP | One of the world’s largest law firms, it practices in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm’s recognized practices range from project finance to healthcare, from environmental law to securities, from intellectual property to white collar defense. The firm proudly its “one firm” culture and offers extensive training at all levels |
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP | Recognized for its dazzling prolific corporate and restructuring work, the company prides itself with extensive telecom and entertainment law expertise. A litigation powerhouse, it boasts a dazzling corporate practice, with a formidable mergers and acquisition and private equity group and a formidable bankruptcy department. |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP | Its unconventional approach takes the legal world by storm as it ranks on the podium for General Commercial Litigation. With Intellectual Property being its main practice, the firm also carries out antitrust, corporate disputes, insurance, intellectual property, product liability and international law work. It operates in the environmental, insurance, life sciences, media and entertainment industries |
| Ropes & Gray LLP | The firm’s private equity practice has been recognized by the Chambers USA, The Legal 500 U.S and Vault. The firm has claimed Law360’s honor of Private Equity Practice Group of the Year three times—most recently in 2019. To summarize, the firm is a private equity powerhouse, assisting private equity clients with mergers and acquisitions, financing, labour and employment, compliance matters and much more. |
| Sidley Austin LLP | Apart from complex transactional and litigation work, the firm has incredible regulatory experience, its main practices are banking and financial, IP, restructuring, energy and environmental law and white collar defense. The firm shines for its Supreme Court and Appellate practice and it’s where Obama and Michelle met! |
| Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | This is one of the most elite firms in the world, boasting a high ranking in the Private Equity, Capital Markets, Banking & Financial Services, General Corporate Practice, M&A and Project Finance. This award-winning firm prides itself with top-notch equity and debt capital markets offerings, joint ventures, project financings and infrastructure development, structured financings, syndicated loans, debt restructurings and bankruptcies and real estate transactions |
| Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates | This is one of the most profitable and prestigious law firms in the world, it is an A-player in all practise areas. It flaunts supreme M&A and litigation practices and it is the first law firm to report $1 billion in annual revenue to and to handle over $1 trillion in merger and acquisition deals in a year. It is a first-class firm to assists clients when it comes to big and global tax controversies, tax investigations and defending tax-related actions |
| Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | Through a generalised approach, Sullivan and Cromwell offers high-end Project Finance, Securities/Capital Markets, Banking and Financial Services, General Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions practises |
| Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz | From major mergers and acquisitions, shareholder litigation, big-name restructurings and multi-billion-dollar real estate ventures, its work is always characterized by grandeur. Wachtell Lipton is also the most profitable law firm when it comes to first year associate salaries and it reigns supreme when it comes to M&A endeavours |
| Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP | A trailblazer when it comes corporate governance, private equity, bankruptcy and restructuring, this law firm has one of the most reputable restructuring departments available and offers phenomenal litigation practice |
| White & Case LLP | White & Case is characterized by extensive experience when it comes to international merger and acquisition operations, antitrust, arbitration, financial restructuring and insolvency. It is a truly global firm pioneering in international law and promoting cultural diversity amongst its employees |
| Williams & Connolly LLP | Renowned for its great balancing skills while handling complex and delicate litigation matters, the firm has a roaring intellectual property practice. It supports industries such as the pharmaceutical, electronics, media and entertainment ones. The firm represents individuals, companies and cabinet officials who are under investigation or are involved in criminal matters with diplomacy and expertise |
TOP LAW FIRMS IN HUNGARY
Whether for litigation or arbitration, legal representation or support in specific areas (banking and finance, corporate, M&A, capital markets, antitrust, international and cross-border, civil law) or industry, Hungary prides itself on several well-known, professional and successful international law firms.
CMS Cameron MCKenna LLP. One of the ten largest law firms in the world by number of lawyers, it is present in over 40 countries with an award-winning team of over 70 fully qualified lawyers and services clients in some of the most crucial and complex transactions. Its areas of practice include banking and international finance, corporate, dispute resolution, human resources, energy, information technology and tax.
DLA PIPER. The firm positions itself to support clients in over 40 countries in their legal needs through practical, valuable and innovative solutions and serving Fortune 500 companies, multinational, emerging companies in leading industries as well as government and public sector bodies.
Oppenheim. Offering advice in all fields of Hungarian and international business and law, this law firm is well reputed in litigation and arbitration procedures supporting companies in the finance and banking, insurance, construction and agricultural industries.
Lakatos, Köves és Társai Ügyvédi Iroda. Front-runners when it comes to cutting-edge expertise and advice, the company strives to support their clients face any challenge in the most efficient, responsive and innovative way. The firm excels in all major areas of practice such as banking and finance, competition and consumer protection, risk management, capital markets, intellectual property, employment law, data protection, litigation and dispute resolution, M&A, energy, real estate and tax.
CERHA HEMPEL Dezső és Társai Ügyvédi Iroda. With more than 20 years of experience in the Hungarian market and around 30 dedicated legal professionals, the Budapest team provides clients with first-class legal advice on local and cross-border corporate and commercial law to domestic and international clients.
Reczicza Dentons Europe. When it comes to its Hungarian office, the firm boasts over 50 lawyers and several across a range of industry sectors of practice, such as arbitration, litigation, banking and finance, capital markets, antitrust, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, private equity, real estate, energy, employment and labour and much more.
Szecskay Attorneys at Law. A strong worldwide law firm that offers professionalism and tailored advice with a human touch and feasible solutions, it is specialised in all areas of Hungarian and cross-border business law. Thanks to significant international know-how and tangible solutions, they can help all small, medium and large multinational businesses thrive.
Győri és Sárhegyi Ügyvédi Társulás (Sárhegyi and Partners network). This widely recognized, independent Hungarian law firm has been delivering solutions for domestic, European, international and multinational businesses, financial institutions, private equity firms, governments and organizations for over 25 years. It prides itself with a team of 35 lawyers supporting clients in a variety of transactional, litigation, corporate and regulatory matters.
Sárhegyi & Partners is a leading, independent Hungarian law firm delivering solutions for major domestic and multinational businesses, start-ups, financial institutions, governments and other organisations. The firm is well known for the strategic know-how, the constant innovation in their practices and an unrivalled business sense. It offers a wide range of practices including corporate, M&A, factoring, banking and finance, tax, employment, commercial and real estate law. It has decades of experience in the real estate development, energy and healthcare fields.
Réti, Várszegi & Partners Law Firm (PwC Legal). A law firms that won the Wolters Kluwer Law Award 2016, it is a premier law firm within the PwC legal network. Utmost expertise in the employment, competition and consumer law as well as the environmental and economic criminal law fields makes it a highly competitive reality. It is specialised in the investments, real estate, energy, IT and data protection, healthcare, telecommunication and transport sectors.
Andrékó Ferenczi Kinstellar Ügyvédi Iroda. Thanks to internationally qualified lawyers, it provides high-end client support to both international and domestic investors active in many various industries, including banking and financial services, energy, food and beverages, automotive, manufacturing, mining, real estate and telecommunications.
Lajos Law Firm. A boutique law firm with over 20 years of experience offering legal assistance in Budapest. Closely collaborating with ITL Group, this law firm provides full scale services with a team of 15 highly skilled and specialised professionals trained in a large number of Hungarian law areas to represent foreign investors in Hungary.
Here are comprehensive top law firms lists you might need. If you are looking for support in more areas of your business, have a look at the best consulting firms list.
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