Shortlisted Categories

Awards Categories

Select a category to view shortlisted firms and winners

Antitrust

Shortlist

  1. Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
  2. Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP
  3. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
  4. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
  5. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
  6. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  7. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Winner: Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Artificial Intelligence

Shortlist

  1. Cooley LLP
  2. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
  3. DLA Piper
  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
  5. Morrison & Foerster LLP
  6. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Winner: Latham & Watkins LLP

Banking & Finance

Shortlist

  1. Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
  2. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  3. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
  5. Paul Hastings LLP
  6. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Winner: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Liability Management

Shortlist

  1. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
  2. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  3. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
  5. Milbank LLP
  6. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  7. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Winner: Latham & Watkins LLP

Commercial Litigation

Shortlist

  1. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
  2. King & Spalding LLP
  3. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
  5. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  6. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
  7. Williams & Connolly LLP
Winner: Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Commercial Litigation Boutique

Shortlist

  1. Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP
  2. Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC
  3. Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP
  4. Hueston Hennigan LLP
  5. Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C.
  6. Susman Godfrey L.L.P.
  7. Wilkinson Stekloff LLP
Winner: Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP

Construction

Shortlist

  1. Holland & Knight LLP
  2. Jones Day
  3. King & Spalding LLP
  4. Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
  5. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
  6. Smith Currie Oles LLP
  7. Troutman Pepper Locke
Winner: Peckar & Abramson, P.C.

Corporate / M&A

Shortlist

  1. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
  2. Freshfields LLP
  3. Latham & Watkins LLP
  4. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  5. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
  6. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
  7. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Winner: Latham & Watkins LLP

Energy, Infrastructure & Projects

Shortlist

  1. Baker Botts L.L.P.
  2. Bracewell LLP
  3. Latham & Watkins LLP
  4. Norton Rose Fulbright
  5. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
  6. Troutman Pepper Locke
  7. Vinson & Elkins LLP
Winner: Vinson & Elkins LLP

Environment

Shortlist

  1. Beveridge & Diamond PC
  2. Greenberg Traurig, LLP
  3. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
  4. King & Spalding LLP
  5. Latham & Watkins LLP
  6. Sive, Paget & Riesel P.C.
Winner: Beveridge & Diamond PC

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Shortlist

  1. Cooley LLP
  2. Goodwin Procter LLP
  3. Hogan Lovells
  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
  5. McDermott Will & Schulte
  6. Ropes & Gray LLP
Winner: Ropes & Gray LLP

Insurance

Shortlist

  1. Blank Rome LLP
  2. Cohen Ziffer Frenchman & McKenna
  3. Covington & Burling LLP
  4. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
  5. Reed Smith LLP
  6. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
  7. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Winner: Blank Rome LLP

Intellectual Property

Shortlist

  1. Cooley LLP
  2. DLA Piper
  3. Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP
  4. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  5. Morrison & Foerster LLP
  6. Paul Hastings LLP
Winner: Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Labor & Employment

Shortlist

  1. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
  2. Jones Day
  3. Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
  4. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
  5. Paul Hastings LLP
  6. Proskauer Rose LLP
  7. Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Winner: Paul Hastings LLP

Private Equity

Shortlist

  1. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
  2. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  3. Latham & Watkins LLP
  4. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  5. Ropes & Gray LLP
  6. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Winner: Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Real Estate

Shortlist

  1. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
  2. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
  3. Greenberg Traurig, LLP
  4. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  5. Paul Hastings LLP
  6. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Winner: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

White-Collar Criminal Defense

Shortlist

  1. Covington & Burling LLP
  2. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
  3. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
  4. King & Spalding LLP
  5. Latham & Watkins LLP
  6. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
  7. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Winner: Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

White-Collar Criminal Defense Boutique

Shortlist

  1. Ellerman Enzinna Levy PLC
  2. Hecker Fink LLP
  3. Hueston Hennigan LLP
  4. Kaiser PLLC
  5. KKL LLP
  6. Lankler Siffert & Wohl LLP
  7. Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC
Winner: Hecker Fink LLP

Law Firm of the Year

Winner: Paul Hastings LLP

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Robert Luskin, Paul Hastings LLP

General Counsel of the Year

Shortlist

  1. David Hyman – Netflix, Inc.
  2. Laureen E. Seeger – American Express Company
  3. Patricia Astorga – Mintz Group
  4. Paul M. Robinson – Warner Music Group Corp.
  5. Rashida La Lande – The Estée Lauder Companies
Winner: Rashida La Lande – The Estée Lauder Companies

General Counsel Innovation & Transformation Award

Shortlist

  1. David Flavell – PepsiCo
  2. Diane Brayton – The New York Times Company
  3. John G. Finley – Blackstone Inc.
  4. John Rogovin – ByteDance / TikTok
  5. Rose Marie Glazer – AIG
Winner: John G. Finley – Blackstone Inc.

Litigation Services Provider of the Year

Shortlist

  1. Elevate
  2. Epiq
  3. Integreon
  4. QuisLex
Winner: Elevate

Business Intelligence & Investigations Firm of the Year

Shortlist

  1. K2 Integrity
  2. Nardello & Co.
  3. Quinlan Partners
  4. StoneTurn
Winner: Nardello & Co.

Identify exceptional small and mid-size law firms with Chambers Spotlight USA Guide

Use the filters above to discover the best medium-sized, small, and boutique law firms in key USA markets.

In-house counsel and companies seeking focused, high-quality legal representation at the local level and for large law firms looking to refer their clients to more regional or specialized experts rely on the Spotlight guide as a trusted resource. Each ranked firm has proven their ability to deliver outstanding results in their chosen markets and practice areas.

Chambers USA Spotlight 2026 Guide To Date

Guides and Insights by State

 

California 2026 Guide Stats

Learn more about Chambers Spotlight California

Now in its second year, Chambers Spotlight California 2026 highlights 376 ranked firms across 9 regions and 45 distinct practice areas.

This marks a year-on-year increase of 218 firms and 17 practice areas, demonstrating the guide’s growing reach across California’s small and mid-sized firm market.

 

Why Chambers Spotlight: An Exclusive Ranking for Mid-Sized and Small Law Firms

Chambers Spotlight takes a unique city-based approach to legal excellence. We dive deep into local markets to uncover firms that have built sterling reputations in their communities, excel in region-specific and nationally recognised practice areas, and demonstrate intimate knowledge of local courts, regulations, and business environments. From Miami's international trade specialists, to small law firms in NYC, to litigation specialists at mid-sized law firms in Chicago, Spotlight connects legal buyers with precisely the right expertise for their needs.

Chambers Spotlight is exclusively for firms with fewer than 75 attorneys and those that do not already have a department ranking in the main Chambers USA guide. These firms offer the legal market deep regional knowledge, partner-level attention, and cost-effective solutions for sophisticated legal work. They combine the personal service and competitive rates of smaller practices with the sophisticated expertise typically associated with larger firms.

 

To register for your firms interest in being included in our Chambers Spotlight research, please fill out the form below.

 
 

Latest Legal News: Chambers USA Spotlight

Chambers Spotlight Guide, Stand out in key markets
The Chambers Spotlight Guide recognises top-performing small and mid-sized law firms across key U.S. states. Built on the same trusted research methodology used in Chambers’ global rankings, the guide showcases firms with standout expertise and deep market knowledge within their local areas.

New York Law Firm Rankings 2026: Small Firms, Big Impact
The Chambers Spotlight New York 2026 Guideshowcases 262 of the best New York law firms operating at small to mid-scale. These top-ranked boutiques are driving law firm growth across the Empire State, offering specialized expertise, lean service models, and proven capability in high-stakes matters. 

Spotlight on Florida’s Top Small Law Firms: Chambers 2025 Florida Guide Launch
Chambers' 2025 Florida Spotlight Guide highlights the state’s leading small law firms, featuring top performers across 18 distinct practice areas. This guide is a valuable resource for legal buyers seeking trusted expertise throughout Florida.

Meet the Chambers Spotlight Research Team

Photograph of James Haggerty Head of USA Research | Chambers and Partners
James Haggerty

Research Director - USA Operations

Contact James
Kypriana Savva | Chambers USA Principal Research Specialist
Kypriana Savva

Head of Spotlight Research

Contact Kypriana
Georgia Urashima

Principal Research Analyst

Contact Georgia
Jazmine Sandhu

Senior Research Analyst

Contact Jazmine
Zoja Michelle Repovs

Senior Research Analyst

Contact Zoja
Andrew Watson

Research Analyst

Contact Andrew