Forbes Top Lawyers in America

The Forbes Top Lawyers in America lists their top 200, including some of the Law Stars that LawFuel has identified like Ben Crump and Alex Spiro (pictured).

Forbes reference the $300 billion-plus size of the US legal market and their inaugural list looks at those who are the top of the game based on track record, law field leadership and ‘respect’ from peers and clients.

The selection process, Forbes say, involved thorough research and evaluation by an experienced editorial team that look at lawyers involved in significant cases, deals, or legal trends, spanning various areas such as litigation, technology, transactional law, civil rights, and more.

It adds to the many lists Forbes are renowned for – somehow omitting the law profession for so many years – and provides another glimpse into the ranking-and-rating world of the law industry.

The lawyers are not ranked, other than alphabetically, but some of the names are familiar, while other may not be so much.

Who make the top of the Forbes Top Lawyers’ List?

1. David Boies – Chairman at Boies Schiller Flexner and another LawFuel Law Star who is known for high-profile litigation cases and national prominence.
2. Roberta Kaplan – Partner at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, recognized for her involvement in landmark civil rights cases.
3. Barry H. Berke – Partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, noted for his extensive litigation experience and involvement in significant legal matters.
4. Lisa S. Blatt – Partner at Williams & Connolly, renowned for her expertise in appellate law and frequent appearances before the Supreme Court.
5. Ben Crump – Founder of Ben Crump Law, widely recognized for his advocacy in civil rights cases and representation of high-profile clients.

Surprising Inclusions or Younger Lawyers:

1. Alex Spiro – Partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, known for his relatively young age compared to some of the other listed attorneys but noted for his distinction in the legal profession.
2. Samantha Bley DeJean – Principal at Bley and Bley, recognized for her expertise in family law and inclusion despite not having reached national prominence.
3. Kimberly Branscome – Partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, acknowledged for her specialization in product liability defense and being relatively younger compared to other partners at the firm.
4. Diandra (Fu) Debrosse – Partner at DiCello Levitt, highlighted for her involvement in class action and mass tort cases, representing a younger generation of attorneys making an impact in their respective fields.
5. Shay Dvoretzky – Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, noted for his expertise in litigation despite being relatively younger compared to some of the other partners at the firm.

Law firm diversity

Certainly the Forbes List does display the diversity within the law, both professionally and in terms of the individuals concerned.

And there are also small firm lawyers, including civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, but also including Samantha Bley DeJean, Principal at Bley and Bley, specializing in family law; Benjamin Brafman – Principal at Brafman & Associates, known for his expertise in criminal defense; Roy Black – Founding Partner at Black Srebnick Kornspan & Stumpf, recognized for his work in litigation and Jonathan S. Abady – Partner at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, specializing in civil rights law.