The 2013 Vault Law 100 Rankings Are Here!

The 2013 Vault Law 100 Rankings Are HereThe 2013 Vault Law 100 Rankings Are HereDrum roll, pleaseIts the moment youve been waiting for the 2013 Vault Law 100 is here This year almost 17,000 associates took our survey, and their unequivocal view is that Wachtell is still on top- for the tenth year in a row.Lets take a look at the rest of the top tenWachtell Lipton Rosen KatzCravath, Swaine MooreSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher FlomSullivan CromwellDavis Polk WardwellWeil, Gotshal MangesSimpson Thacher BartlettCleary Gottlieb Steen HamiltonKirkland EllisLatham WatkinsCheck out the full rankings here2013 Vault Law 100This year saw more movement within the top ten than in years past. Skadden slipped past Sullivan Cromwell to take the number three spot Weil and Simpson swapped places in the 6 and 7 positions and Latham bumped its way back into the top ten, sending Covington Burling to 11. As many of you will remember, Latham was a top ten mainstay until 2010, when associates resp onded to the firms layoffs by sending it from 7 to 17. It seems like all is forgiven, however, as the firm rejoined the top ten this year. Our survey respondents proclaimed that Latham is back as top dog, citing its great culture and laid-back vibe.Hogan Lovells also saw a notable jump, from 51 in 2012 to 41 this year. Before its merger with London-based Lovells, Hogan Hartson was ranked 28. Given the failed firm mergers weve seen lately, its understandable that associates were cynical about the newly combined firms outlook. But Hogan Lovells seems like an example of a merger gone right- this years ten-spot jump shows that they are on the upswing and receiving positive feedback from our respondents.Baker Hostetler also ascended the ranks significantly, going from 77 to 68, thanks in no small parte to its front-page role in the Madoff bankruptcy.One firm that is missing from the rankings this year is, of course, Dewey LeBoeuf. Ranked 37 last year, the firm collapsed this year and r ecently filed for bankruptcy.Three firms that were unranked last year joined the Vault Law 100- Fenwick West at 94, Wiley Rein at 97 and Kasowitz, Benson, Torres Friedman at 98. Falling out of the top 100 were Troutman Sanders (ranked 93 in 2012), Littler Mendelson (previously ranked 97), Kilpatrick Townsend Stockton (previously ranked 98), Kelley Drye (previously ranked 99) and Foley Hoag (previously ranked 100).Vault will be releasing the rest of its 2013 Rankings- Best in Practice, Best in Region, Best to Work For and Diversity Rankings- over the coming weeks. Make sure to follow us on Twitter VaultLaw for up-to-the-minute information on those releases.What do you think about this years prestige rankings? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook or TwitterRachel Marx, Law Editor