Many law students and lawyers alike have long dreamed of someday working in New York, the city that never sleeps (especially if they wind up as Biglaw associates). New York firms are regarded as the crown jewels of the legal profession, and it’s in New York where firms typically set the stage for Biglaw salaries and bonuses across the country. But which firm is considered the best in the Big Apple?
Thanks to Vault’s recently released regional rankings, we now know which Biglaw firms are dominating the legal scene in Manhattan. This ranking is based on votes tabulated from associates who were asked to rate firms on a 1 to 10 scale based on their prestige within the region.
Here are the top 10 most prestigious firms in New York (you can see the full list from Vault by clicking here):
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (+1)
Cravath, Swaine & Moore (-1)
Skadden (+1)
Davis Polk & Wardwell (-1)
Sullivan & Cromwell
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Latham & Watkins
Simpson Thacher
Kirkland & Ellis
Milbank (+4)
There’s some big news here, as Wachtell surpasses Cravath for the No. 1 spot, and Milbank finally enters the Top 10, much like what happened in the Vault 100. Cravath is (somehow) no longer regarded as the most prestigious firm in New York, but unlike Wachtell, it will still command the associate salary scale. Other firms here, like Milbank and Davis Polk, have also raised the stakes on bonuses, special bonuses, and associate salaries in recent years.
Congratulations to all of the Biglaw firms that made the latest edition of Vault’s New York rankings. How did your firm do this time around? Email us, text us at (646) 820-8477, or tweet us @atlblog to let us know how you feel.
2026 Best Law Firms in New York [Vault]
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 Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
