2025 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 15th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	40.24%
2	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	25.78%
3	Cravath	New York	21.45%
4	Davis Polk	New York	20.00%
5	Latham & Watkins	New York	17.83%
6	Wachtell	New York	17.35%
7	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	14.70%
8	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	12.77%
9	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	8.43%
10	Simpson Thacher	New York	7.47%
11	Weil	New York	6.99%
12	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	6.27%
13	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	6.02%
14	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	5.54%
14	Paul Weiss	New York	5.54%
16	Eversheds Sutherland	Atlanta	5.06%
17	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	4.82%
18	Ropes & Gray	Boston	4.58%
18	Sidley Austin	Chicago	4.58%
20	Mayer Brown	Chicago	3.86%

For the fifteenth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2024 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 14th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	37.95%
2	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	23.12%
3	Davis Polk	New York	19.96%
4	Cravath	New York	19.37%
5	Latham & Watkins	New York	18.97%
6	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	17.98%
7	Wachtell	New York	17.59%
8	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	11.46%
9	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	10.28%
10	Simpson Thacher	New York	9.49%
11	Weil	New York	9.09%
12	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	8.70%
13	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	6.32%
13	Paul Weiss	New York	6.32%
15	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	4.94%
15	Ropes & Gray	Boston	4.94%
15	Sidley Austin	Chicago	4.94%
18	Eversheds Sutherland	D.C.	4.74%
19	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	4.35%
20	Mayer Brown	Chicago	3.95%

For the fourteenth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2023 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 13th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	36.09%
2	Davis Polk	New York	22.39%
3	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	19.35%
4	Cravath	New York	17.17%
5	Wachtell	New York	16.74%
6	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	15.44%
7	Latham & Watkins	New York	15.22%
8	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	14.78%
9	Weil	New York	9.57%
10	Paul Weiss	New York	8.48%
11	Simpson Thacher	New York	8.04%
11	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	8.04%
13	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	7.83%
14	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	6.47%
15	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	5.00%
16	DLA Piper	New York	4.57%
16	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	4.57%
18	Eversheds Sutherland	D.C.	4.35%
18	Ropes & Gray	Boston	4.35%
20	Mayer Brown	Chicago	3.91%

For the thirteenth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2022 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 12th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	43.98%
2	Davis Polk	New York	21.76%
3	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	20.83%
4	Cravath	New York	20.37%
5	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	16.90%
6	Wachtell	New York	14.58%
7	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	14.35%
8	Latham & Watkins	Los Angeles	13.19%
9	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	9.49%
10	Weil Gotshal	New York	9.26%
11	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	9.03%
12	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	7.64%
12	Simpson Thacher	New York	7.64%
14	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	7.41%
15	Paul Weiss	New York	6.48%
16	Mayer Brown	Chicago	6.02%
17	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	5.32%
18	Debevoise & Plimpton	New York	4.17%
19	Eversheds Sutherland	Atlanta	3.94%
19	Ropes & Gray	Boston	3.94%

For the twelfth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2021 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 11th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	42.55%
2	Cravath	New York	22.25%
3	Davis Polk	New York	21.17%
4	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	20.52%
5	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	18.14%
6	Wachtell	New York	16.63%
7	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	16.42%
8	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	11.66%
9	Latham & Watkins	Los Angeles	9.94%
10	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	8.64%
11	Weil Gotshal	New York	7.78%
12	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	7.56%
13	Simpson Thacher	New York	7.34%
14	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	7.13%
15	Mayer Brown	Chicago	6.48%
16	Paul Weiss	New York	6.26%
17	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	5.18%
18	Eversheds Sutherland	Atlanta	4.75%
19	Alston & Bird	Atlanta	3.67%
19	Roberts Holland	New York	3.67%

For the eleventh year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2018 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 8th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	46.40%
2	Davis Polk	New York	20.80%
3	Cravath	New York	20.00%
4	Wachtell	New York	19.73%
5	Baker McKenzie	Chicago	17.33%
6	McDermott Will & Emery	Chicago	16.80%
7	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	15.73%
8	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	12.27%
9	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	12.00%
10	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	8.53%
10	Weil Gotshal	New York	8.53%
12	Simpson Thacher	New York	8.27%
13	Latham & Watkins	Los Angeles	8.00%
14	Mayer Brown	Chicago	5.07%
15	Eversheds Sutherland	Atlanta	4.53%
16	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	4.27%
16	Morrison & Foerster	San Fran.	4.27%
16	Sidley Austin	Chicago	4.27%
19	Debevoise & Plimpton	New York	4.00%
19	Paul, Weiss	New York	4.00%

For the eighth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2017 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1 For 7th Year In A Row

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices (press release) are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	47.99%
2	Davis Polk	New York	21.86%
3	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	21.11%
4	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	20.35%
5	Cravath	New York	19.60%
6	McDermott Will & Emery	Chicago	17.34%
7	Wachtell	New York	15.33%
8	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	13.57%
9	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	11.06%
10	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	9.05%
10	Simpson Thacher	New York	9.05%
12	Latham & Watkins	New York	8.79%
13	Weil Gotshal	New York.	7.04%
14	Mayer Brown	Chicago	5.28%
15	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	4.77%
15	Sutherland	Atlanta	4.77%
17	Morgan Lewis	Philadelphia	3.77%
18	Debevoise	New York	3.52%
18	Sidley Austin	Chicago	3.52%
20	Fenwick & West	Palo Alto	3.27%

For the seventh year in a row, Skadden is #1. From the press release:  "Wachtell dropped three spots to No. 7, allowing Baker & McKenzie (No. 4), Cravath (No. 5), and McDermott (No. 6) to each move up a spot. Sutherland Asbill and Brennan (tied at No. 15), Morgan Lewis (No. 17), Debevoise (tied at No. 18), and Fenwick & West (No. 20) all joined the ranking after being unranked last year."

The city rankings are:

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2016 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	42.20%
2	Davis Polk	New York	24.28%
3	Cleary Gottlieb	New York	22.83%
4	Wachtell Lipton	New York	17.63%
5	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	16.78%
6	Cravath	New York	15.90%
7	McDermott Will & Emery	Chicago	15.32%
8	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	12.14%
9	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	10.12%
10	Simpson Thacher	New York	9.83%
11	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	9.25%
11	Latham & Watkins	New York	9.25%
13	Weil Gotscal	New York.	7.51%
14	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	6.07%
15	Sidley Austin	Chicago	5.78%
16	Mayer Brown	Chicago	4.34%

For the sixth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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2015 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	35.29%
2	Cleary Gottleib	New York	24.75%
3	Davis Polk	New York	22.55%
4	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	20.34%
5	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	19.12%
6	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	18.38%
7	Cravath, Swaine & Moore	New York	16.67%
8	Wachtell, Lipton	New York	15.69%
9	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	10.29%
10	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	9.80%
11	Simpson Thacher	New York	7.60%
11	Weil Gotshal & Manges	New York	7.60%
13	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	6.62%
14	Latham & Watkins	New York	6.13%
15	Morrison & Foerster	San Fran	5.64%

For the sixth year in a row, Skadden is #1. The city rankings are:

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The IRS Scandal, Day 585

San Diego Union-Tribune:  Is AG Ignoring Lessons From IRS Scandal?:

A Virginia-based conservative group filed a federal First Amendment lawsuit this week accusing California Attorney General Kamala Harris of engaging in the kind of activity that was the subject of the recent scandal involving the Internal Revenue Service. Are state officials trying to chill the speech of conservative nonprofits?

“Not only did IRS employees improperly target groups based on politics, but they also improperly demanded a host of details about the groups’ activities, according to a report on the abuses by a Treasury Department inspector general,” according to a Washington Post report about the federal scandal. The IRS even demanded information about some of these groups’ smallest donors.

Now the Americans for Prosperity Foundation is saying the state of California is improperly demanding information about its donors – and is threatening unusually harsh penalties if the group doesn’t comply. One other conservative group has filed a separate lawsuit against the attorney general, which is now in the Ninth Circuit. ...

Harris has long been touted as a rising national political star. If so, then she ought to learn some lessons from a scandal that gave the IRS such a black eye.

• Newsmax:  Judicial Watch's Fitton: New Docs Expose Justice in IRS Scandal
• One News Now:  Obama Administration a Conspirator in IRS Scandal
• Town Hall:  Lies, Damn Lies, and American Politics

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2014 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	41.80%
2	Cleary Gottleib	New York	25.13%
3	Davis Polk	New York	23.81%
4	Cravath	New York	20.90%
5	Wachtell	New York	19.58%
6	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	17.99%
7	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	15.34%
8	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	15.08%
9	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	8.99%
10	Weil Gotchal & Manges	New York	8.73%
11	Mayer Brown	Chicago	8.47%
12	Bingham McCutchen	Boston	7.67%
13	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	6.97%
14	Miller & Chevalier	D.C.	6.88%
15	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	New York	6.35%

For the fifth year in a row, Skadden is #1 and New York City tax firms take up the Top 6 slots. The city rankings are:

1. New York (8)
2. Chicago (4)
3. D.C. (2)
4. Boston (1)

For prior years' Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings, see:

• 2010
• 2011
• 2012
• 2013

2013 Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates (methodology here). The Top Tax Practices are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	42.04%
2	Davis Polk	New York	23.13%
3	Cleary Gottleib	New York	22.89%
4	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	21.89%
5	Cravath	New York	19.40%
6	Wachtell	New York	16.17%
7	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	15.17%
8	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	12.94%
9	Simpson, Thacher & Bertlett	New York	10.45%
9	Caplin & Drysdale	D.C.	10.45%
11	Weil Gotchal & Manges	New York	9.95%
12	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	9.70%
13	Latham & Watkins	New York	6.97%
14	Mayer Brown	Chicago	6.72%
15	Bingham McCutchen	Boston	5.22%
15	Sutherland Asbill	D.C.	5.22%
17	Jones Day	D.C.	4.98%

For the fourth year in a row, Skadden is #1 and New York City tax firms take up the Top 6 slots. The city rankings are:

1. New York (9)
2. Chicago (4)
3. D.C. (3)
4. Boston (1)

For prior years' Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings, see:

• 2010
• 2011
• 2012

Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1

Here are the Top Law Firm Tax Rankings, which give equal weight to the Chambers (based on interviews with lawyers and clients) and Vault (based on surveys of associates at the Top 165 law firms) law firm tax rankings:

Rank	Firm	Chambers	Vault
1	Skadden	1	1
2	McDermott Will & Emery	5	7
3	Baker & McKenzie	5	8
	Cleary Gottleib	11	2
5	Davis Polk	11	3
6	Sullivan & Cromwell	11	4
7	Wachtell, Lipton	11	6
8	Cravath	15	5
9	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	15	9
10	Kirkland & Ellis	15	10
11	Bingham McCutchen	2
	Latham & Watkins	2
	Mayer Brown	2
14	Dewey & LeBoeuf	7
15	Fulbright & Jaworski	8
16	Sutherland Asbill & Brennan	8
	Steptoe & Johnson	8
18	Debevoise & Plimpton	15
	Weil, Gotchal & Manges	15
	Miller & Chevalier	15
21	Baker & Botts	21
	Cadwalader	21
	Caplin & Drysdale	21
	Chamberlain, Hrdlicka	21
	Paul, Weiss	21
	Ropes & Gray	21
	Shearman & Sterling	21
	Sidley Austin	21
29	Alston & Baird	29
	Dechert	29
	Fenwick & West	29
	Gibson, Dunn	29
	Irell & Manella	29
	Ivins, Phillips & Barker	29
	King & Spalding	29
	O’Melveny & Myers	29
	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius	29
	Pillsbury	29
	Roberts & Holland	29
	Vinson & Elkins	29
	White & Case	29

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vault Law Firm Tax Rankings

Vault has released its annual ranking of the Top 100 Law Firms, based on prestige as voted on by associates.  The Top Tax Practices, based on this methodology, are:

Rank	Firm	Home City	% Vote
1	Skadden	New York	38.58%
2	Cleary Gottleib	New York	27.03%
3	Davis Polk	New York	21.52%
4	Sullivan & Cromwell	New York	19.95%
5	Cravath	New York	18.11%
6	Wachtell	New York	17.85%
7	McDermott, Will & Emery	Chicago	13.12%
8	Baker & McKenzie	Chicago	12.07%
9	Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett	New York	11.81%
10	Kirkland & Ellis	Chicago	11.55%

Law Firm Tax Rankings: Skadden Is #1

This week, I have blogged the separate law firm tax rankings in the corporate tax and tax controversy areas developed by Chambers as part of its rankings of the top U.S. law firms by various specialities.  The rankings are based on 30-minute interviews with lawyers and clients (greater weight is given to the views of clients) (methodology).

There are 41 law firms ranked in the two tax categories, grouped in four bands.  Here is a ranking of the law firms that combines the two tax rankings, beginning with the ten firms that are listed in both rankings:

Rank	Firm	Corporate Tax	Tax Controversy
1	Skadden	1	1
2	Bingham McCutchen	3	1
	Latham & Watkins	2	2
	Mayer Brown	3	1
5	Baker & McKenzie	3	2
	McDermott Will & Emery	3	2
7	Dewey & LeBoeuf	3	3
8	Fulbright & Jaworski	4	3
	Sutherland Asbill & Brennan	4	3
	Steptoe & Johnson	4	4
11	Cleary Gottleib	1
	Davis Polk	1
	Sullivan & Cromwell	1
	Wachtell, Lipton	1
15	Cravath	2
	Debevoise & Plimpton	2
	Kirkland & Ellis	2
	Simpson Thacher & Bartlett	2
	Weil, Gotchal & Manges	2
	Miller & Chevalier		2
21	Baker & Botts	3
	Cadwalader	3
	Caplin & Drysdale		3
	Chamberlain, Hrdlicka		3
	Paul, Weiss	3
	Ropes & Gray	3
	Shearman & Sterling	3
	Sidley Austin	3
29	Alston & Baird	4
	Dechert	4
	Fenwick & West	4
	Gibson, Dunn	4
	Irell & Manella	4
	Ivins, Phillips & Barker	4
	King & Spalding	4
	O’Melveny & Myers	4
	Morgan, Lewis & Bockius		4
	Pillsbury		4
	Roberts & Holland		4
	Vinson & Elkins	4
	White & Case		4

 

Law Firm Tax Controversy Rankings

Chambers has updated its rankings of the top U.S. law firms by various specialities.  The rankings are based on 30-minute interviews with lawyers and clients (greater weight is given to the views of clients) (methodology). Here are the top Top 17 U.S. law firms in the area of Tax Controversy, grouped in four bands:

Band #1:

• Bingham McCutchen
• Mayer Brown
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Band #2:

• Baker & McKenzie
• Latham & Watkins
• McDermott Will & Emery
• Miller & Chevalier

Band #3:

• Caplin & Drysdale
• Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin
• Dewey & LeBoeuf
• Fulbright & Jaworski
• Sutherland Asbill & Brennan

Band #4:

• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
• Roberts & Holland
• Steptoe & Johnson
• White & Case

Law Firm Corporate Tax Rankings

Chambers has updated its rankings of the top U.S. law firms by various specialities.  The rankings are based on 30-minute interviews with lawyers and clients (greater weight is given to the views of clients) (methodology). Here are the top Top 35 U.S. law firms in the area of Tax: Corporate and Finance, grouped in four bands:

Band #1:

• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
• Davis Polk & Wardwell
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
• Sullivan & Cromwell
• Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Band #2:

• Cravath, Swaine & Moore
• Debevoise & Plimpton
• Kirkland & Ellis
• Latham & Watkins
• Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
• Weil, Gotshal & Manges

Band #3:

• Baker & McKenzie
• Baker Botts
• Bingham McCutchen
• Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
• Dewey & LeBoeuf
• Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
• Mayer Brown
• McDermott Will & Emery
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
• Ropes & Gray
• Shearman & Sterling
• Sidley Austin

Band #4:

• Alston & Bird
• Dechert
• Fenwick & West
• Fulbright & Jaworski
• Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
• Irell & Manella
• Ivins, Phillips & Barker
• King & Spalding
• O'Melveny & Myers
• Steptoe & Johnson
• Sutherland Asbill & Brennan
• Vinson & Elkins