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Practice × location ranking

Best Civil Litigation law firms in New York

Grouped into editorial tiers — words, never scores. No paid placement and no numeric rank; within a tier the order rotates monthly and carries no meaning.

Last verified 22 Jul 2026 · Next review by 22 Aug 2026 · Change log

Direct answer & research summary

Best Civil Litigation law firms in New York are tiered by Sartori & Partners from public footprint as of July 2026, not from a numeric score: 25 firms sit on this board. Sartori & Partners has completed 400+ placements since 2017 (230+ in-house), including 52 general counsel and chief legal officer searches, with a median of 11 weeks from brief to accepted offer. A NASDAQ-listed medtech in Boston accepted its successor general counsel in week 11, from a shortlist of four at day 24.

01 — The ranking

The New York Civil Litigation board

A tier on this New York Civil Litigation board names relative firm standing in words. Placement speaks to courtroom advocacy, complex commercial disputes and high-volume federal and state docket presence; order inside each band carries no hierarchy and is not a score.

NEW YORK × CIVIL LITIGATION25 FIRMS · NO SCORESREV. 2026-07
REFFIRMNEW YORK CIVIL LITIGATION BANDSIGNAL
TIER 1 — MARKET LEADERS4 FIRMS

The top editorial band for the best Civil Litigation law firms in New York: firms that set the tone for courtroom advocacy, commercial litigation and multi-party disputes at scale in New York. Within-tier sequence rotates and is not a ranking.

T1·01 Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·02 Wilson Elser50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·03 Blank Rome25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·04 Jackson Lewis50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 2 — HIGHLY ACTIVE13 FIRMS

Highly active on the New York Civil Litigation board means consistent commercial-dispute presence and peer recognition short of the leader set. No numeric score is assigned.

T2·01 Labaton Sucharow25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·02 Marshall Dennehey25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·03 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·04 Proskauer25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·05 Quinn Emanuel25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·06 Rivkin Radler25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·07 White & Case25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·08 Cleary Gottlieb25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·09 Davis Polk & Wardwell50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·10 DLA Piper25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·11 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·12 Goldberg Segalla25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·13 Kirkland & Ellis50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 3 — ESTABLISHED8 FIRMS

This band covers firms with solid Civil Litigation standing and mapped benches in New York, without the intensity of the tiers above. Within-tier order is deliberately flat.

T3·01 HSF Kramer10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·02 Hughes Hubbard & Reed10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·03 Patterson Belknap10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·04 Ropes & Gray10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·05 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·06 Tarter Krinsky & Drogin10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·07 Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·08 Holland & Knight10–24 attorneys mapped · major local depth 10–24 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓

All counts are shown as bands, never precise headcounts. Notable firms sit outside the tiers by design: verified minimal presence, not assessed at full tier depth.

Hiring in New York?

We map this market every day.

The evidence behind these tiers is the same intelligence we use to run retained searches for partners, groups and senior associates.

02 — Evidence, methodology & sources why each firm · how tiers are set · sources · change log · verified 22 Jul 2026 · next review 22 Aug 2026

Firm evidence

Tier 1 — Market leaders Open firm profile →

Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan

Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan is placed in market leaders for Civil Litigation in New York. Public mapping (banded): 25–49 attorneys, major local depth, ≈15 partners · <5 counsel · 20+ associates. Evidence gates — office (G1) PASS, local practice (G2) PASS, recent signal (G3) PASS. The placement carries no numeric score.

Strongest mapped work

Litigation & DisputesInsuranceHealthcare & Life Sciences

Public hiring signal

Hiring signal: FLAT — no public hiring change detected in the mapping window.

Limits of this assessment

  • —A tier is Sartori’s editorial opinion, not a fact about the firm or a client-satisfaction measure.
  • —Facts are mapped from public sources and shown as bands; they lag reality by weeks or months.
  • —No third-party legal-directory band is used as an input.

Sources for this entry

Methodology

How tiers are assigned

Deterministic public-footprint core (local depth, practice share, seniority mix, public hiring momentum), computed relative to this market's own distribution. Tier placement is derived from this public mapped data; a per-firm public-source ledger is compiled for firms in the annual research pass and applies to those firms' factual claims, not to tier membership. No third-party legal-directory bands are used as an input.

Market scope

25–49 firms earn a tier in New York within this scope (banded).

Disclosures

Firm names used nominatively (factual). All counts shown as bands, never precise headcounts. No firm logos. Report an error via the site contact form.

Sources & change log

  1. 1 Contact - Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  2. 2 Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  3. 3 Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  4. 4 Wilson Elser — New York office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  5. 5 Wilson Elser — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  6. 6 Wilson Elser — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  7. 7 Blank Rome — New York office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  8. 8 Blank Rome — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  9. 9 Blank Rome — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  10. 10 Jackson Lewis — New York office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  11. 11 Jackson Lewis — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  12. 12 Jackson Lewis — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  13. 13 Offices | The Firm | Labaton Keller Sucharowfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  14. 14 Labaton Sucharow — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  15. 15 Labaton Sucharow — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  16. 16 Offices | Marshall Denneheyfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  17. 17 Offices | New Yorkfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  18. 18 Marshall Dennehey — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  19. 19 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  20. 20 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  21. 21 Private Equity | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  22. 22 Private Equity M&A | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  23. 23 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  24. 24 New York - Offices - Proskauer Rose LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  25. 25 Private Equity - Industries - Proskauer Rose LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  26. 26 Proskauer — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  27. 27 Our Locations | Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  28. 28 Quinn Emanuel — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  29. 29 Our New York office, designed by STUDIOS Architecture, has won the CoreNet Global NYC Design Excellence Award for Project of the Yearfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  30. 30 Our Locations | Rivkin Radlerfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  31. 31 New York City Office | Rivkin Radler Attorneys | Midtown Eastfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  32. 32 Rivkin Radler — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  33. 33 Offices | White & Case LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  34. 34 New York | White & Case LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  35. 35 White & Case — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  36. 36 New York | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  37. 37 Where We Work | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  38. 38 Cleary Gottlieb — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  39. 39 Markets Group’s 14th Private Equity New York Forum | Events | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  40. 40 Our offices | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  41. 41 U.S. Summer Program | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  42. 42 Davis Polk & Wardwell — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  43. 43 Mergers & Acquisitions | Davis Polkfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  44. 44 Locations | Global Law Firm | DLA Piperfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  45. 45 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  46. 46 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  47. 47 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  48. 48 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  49. 49 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  50. 50 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  51. 51 Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  52. 52 New York | Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  53. 53 Private Equity | Services | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  54. 54 Kirkland & Ellis — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  55. 55 Lawyers in the United States | Herbert Smith Freehills Kramerfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  56. 56 Our United States practicefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  57. 57 HSF Kramer — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  58. 58 Our United States practicefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  59. 59 Locations | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  60. 60 New York City | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  61. 61 Locations | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  62. 62 New York City | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  63. 63 New York City | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  64. 64 New York City | Hughes Hubbardfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  65. 65 Hughes Hubbard & Reed — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  66. 66 Careers : Attorneysfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  67. 67 Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP – Law Firmfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  68. 68 About Our Firmfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  69. 69 Overview | Corporate | Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  70. 70 About Our Firmfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  71. 71 Overview | Litigation | Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  72. 72 Patterson Belknap — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  73. 73 Ropes & Gray Expands Presence in New York with New Office Lease | News & Events | Ropes & Gray LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  74. 74 Ropes & Gray — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  75. 75 Ropes & Gray — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  76. 76 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  77. 77 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  78. 78 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  79. 79 New York, NY | Tarter Krinsky & Droginfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  80. 80 Contact Us | Tarter Krinsky & Droginfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  81. 81 Real Estate | Tarter Krinsky & Droginfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  82. 82 Tarter Krinsky & Drogin — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  83. 83 Offices - CSG Lawfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  84. 84 Careers - CSG Lawfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  85. 85 Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  86. 86 Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  87. 87 New York | Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  88. 88 Holland & Knight — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
22 Jul 2026 Scope-aware market-relative core assembled.
22 Jul 2026 88 verified source(s) ingested for the researched firms; tier placement comes from our own market data so unresearched visible firms do not block approval → APPROVED (auto).
Report an error in this ranking →

04 — Questions

About this ranking

Who are the best Civil Litigation law firms in New York?

Who leads Civil Litigation in New York? As of July 2026, Market leaders are Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan, Wilson Elser, Blank Rome, Jackson Lewis. Sartori does not name a single number-one firm; the gap inside Tier 1 is treated as unmeasurable, and the wider board of 25 firms uses worded tiers only.

Is Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan the best Civil Litigation law firm in New York?

Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan sits in Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's New York Civil Litigation board as of July 2026, alongside Wilson Elser, Blank Rome, Jackson Lewis. Sartori does not name a single #1: the gap between Tier 1 firms is genuinely unmeasurable, and a numeric score would be false precision.

Which firms have the biggest Civil Litigation benches in New York?

By mapped New York bench, the largest firms on this board are Wilson Elser, Jackson Lewis, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Kirkland & Ellis (50–99 mapped lawyers each). All counts are bands, never precise headcounts.

Which Civil Litigation teams are hiring in New York?

As of July 2026, no firm on this board shows a public hiring signal in the mapping window. Live New York mandates are listed on Sartori's jobs board.

What is a Tier 1 law firm?

In Sartori's rankings, Tier 1 — Market leaders — is an editorial judgement expressed in words, never a score: the firms whose New York bench depth, seniority mix and market standing set the reference point for the market. As of July 2026 that is Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan, Wilson Elser, Blank Rome, Jackson Lewis. Within the tier no firm outranks another.

Which are the best law firms in New York overall?

Sartori's overall New York board groups 25 firms into editorial tiers; as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Sidley Austin, Weil Gotshal & Manges, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Fried Frank, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins. See /firms/in/new-york/.

See the ranking →

This ranking is compiled independently by Sartori from public sources. Tiers are Sartori’s editorial opinion, expressed without numeric scores; firms are named for identification only, no logos are reproduced, and no firm has paid for or approved its placement. No third-party legal-directory band is used as an input. Nothing here is legal advice or a recommendation to instruct counsel.