It just doesn’t matter.
Next normal. Old normal. Client recommendations sit at the epicenter of law firm hiring and recurring business.
Virtually every top legal decision maker looks to peer recommendations when first thinking of hiring a new law firm. Up to 64% of these decision makers hires the first firm recommended — even if this firm is recommended just once — hence the power of the unprompted recommendation.
The peer-to-peer recommendation is serious business. Every recommendation is a personal statement about the type of provider — the commitment, service, quality, and demeanor — you are willing to endorse to a peer, from whom they would expect the same.
Superior client service is consistently the leading driver of law firm recommendations by General Counsel. Superior service accounts for nearly 4 times more recommendations (75%) than any other single factor.
Overall, top legal decision makers recommend 140 law firms out of the 650 or so competing for business at larger companies. Here are the details:
The 11 Law Firms Most Recommended by Top Legal Decision Makers
We congratulate this exclusive group of 11 law firms. These firms stand out above all others — gaining more unprompted recommendations from legal decision makers than other law firms. These firms exceed client expectations consistently and demonstrate deep business understanding.
Arnold & Porter |
King & Spalding |
DLA Piper |
Latham & Watkins |
Eversheds Sutherland |
Littler |
Foley & Lardner |
McDermott Will & Emery |
Gibson Dunn |
McGuireWoods |
Jones Day |
The 21 Law Firms Highly Recommended by Top Legal Decision Makers
Baker Botts |
K&L Gates |
Baker McKenzie |
Manatt |
BakerHostetler |
Norton Rose Fulbright |
Covington |
Ogletree Deakins |
Dentons |
Orrick |
Duane Morris |
Ropes & Gray |
Goodwin |
Seyfarth Shaw |
Hall Render |
Sheppard Mullin |
Hogan Lovells |
Simpson Thacher |
Holland & Knight |
Wilson Sonsini |
Jackson Lewis |
You can see all the remaining 108 law firms clients recommend and why here. You can also download a copy of the report
The BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2021: The Firms Top Legal Decision Makers Recommend Above All Others.
Congratulations to these firms on earning the hardest of recommendations in the hardest of times.
Be well –
MBR
The Mad Clientist
(Based on more than 350 interviews with top legal decision makers conducted between April 3, 2020 and June 17, 2021.)