If you’re working in-house and dealing with bet-the-company litigation, you want the very best litigators in the world to be on your side. You want a firm with litigators so strong that opponents gasp in fear at the very mention of its name. You want a firm that is known internationally for going for the jugular and coming out on top.
But how can you ensure that you’ve picked the right firm? BTI Consulting Group just made it a little easier with the release of its annual ranking of the firms most likely to trigger dread in opposing counsel, as determined by a poll of in-house counsel. After reviewing all responses, BTI named the “Fearsome Foursome,” the most-feared litigation firms in the country.
So, which firms are being honored this year for their ability to strike fear in their opponents’ hearts and minds?
- Jones Day
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Latham & Watkins
- Quinn Emanuel
Per BTI President Michael Rynowecer, this is why these firms give GCs nightmares:
- Tie Claims Together in New Ways
The sudden WFH and other pandemic-related demands create new circumstances and claims. The Fearsome Foursome are quick to spot these and use them to their client’s advantage. - Very Early Assessments
No one ever has all the facts they want. The Fearsome Foursome operate with fewer known facts. They may adjust and pivot where needed but get out of the gate quickly — and have a strong record for being on the right track. - Decisive and Confident
Confidence comes with being comfortable with fewer facts, drawing on experience, and trust in their intuition. This enables the most feared firms to act quickly — often interpreted as aggressive and time consuming by the other side — adding to the fearsome persona. - Unbound by Convention
No rinse and repeat here. These firms always have a new approach. These unanticipated approaches throw the opposition off guard and offer an advantage.
The BTI report also named six firms as “Awesome Opponents” — firms full of lawyers corporate counsel would prefer to steer clear of in litigation (in alphabetical order):
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- Lanier Law Firm
- Morgan & Morgan
- Pillsbury
- Skadden
- Williams & Connolly
Congrats to these hard-working firms, and good luck to those who oppose them.
21 Law Firms Clients Fear Most in Litigation — Post Pandemic [Mad Clientist / BTI Consulting Group]
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 Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.