Best Lawyers® proudly announces the release of the 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, recognizing the outstanding achievements of legal professionals who have demonstrated unparalleled expertise and dedication in their fields. These awards are more than just recognitions—they are a testament to the skill and commitment of lawyers across the United States, whose work continues to shape the future of the legal industry.
Best Lawyers Nominations and Voting Process
This year’s awards featured record-breaking voter participation, highlighting the increasing importance of peer recognition within the legal community. More than 3.2 million evaluations were collected for the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America and over 1.2 million for the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
Our rigorous Purely Peer Review® ensures that the 79,116 honorees in The Best Lawyers in America and the 26,916 recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are leaders in their fields. These individuals are respected by their colleagues, showcasing them as the most distinguished members of the legal community.
“As an industry-driven professional recognition, it is the opinion of lawyers themselves that determines our awards,” said Elizabeth Petit, Director of Research & Development and Managing Editor at Best Lawyers. “We received record-breaking voter participation in this year’s editions of both The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. As an organization, we also reached a milestone in the U.S., surpassing 250,000 individual voters since we began asking our core question over 40 years ago: ‘If you are unable to take a case, how likely would you be to refer your client to this nominee?’ With more engagement from the market, the barrier for recognition is higher and more competitive than ever before. This reflects not only the profession’s commitment to celebrating professional excellence, but also the increasing importance of every voice in shaping the standards of legal distinction.”
2025 Best Lawyers Awards Trends and Insights
When comparing this year’s insights to those of five years ago, several trends emerge, offering a window into the evolving legal space. Based on our findings, we’ve noticed notable increases in specific practice areas, shifts in gender diversity and changes in the geographic distribution of recognized lawyers. These observations invite us to examine the various factors at play, offering a glimpse into the broader changes affecting law, business and society.
About the 2025 edition
The 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® marks 44 years of our organization’s research into the top legal practitioners in the country. Since our founding in 1981, our mission has remained the same: to showcase the most distinguished attorneys across various practice areas in the United States.
The edition upholds the tradition of recognizing outstanding legal talent through a rigorous peer-review process, ensuring that the awarded lawyers meet the highest standards of professional excellence. In a saturated market, clients need confidence that the very best in the industry are handling their most critical matters.
As a reputable resource for both clients and legal professionals, this edition not only highlights individual achievements but also reflects the evolving nature of the legal industry, emphasizing the importance of integrity, skill, and dedication in legal practice.