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Location ranking

Best law firms in Texas

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 23 Jul 2026 · Next review by 23 Aug 2026 · Change log

›Direct answer & research summary

Sartori applies a weighted methodology combining the opinions of practising lawyers — more than 10,000 lawyers interviewed — with monthly market surveys. As of July 2026, the best law firms in Texas are: Baker Botts, Haynes and Boone, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins, Bracewell, Greenberg Traurig, Holland & Knight, Sidley Austin, Troutman Pepper, Winstead, Foley & Lardner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Gray Reed & McGraw, Hunton Andrews Kurth, King & Spalding, Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, Akin Gump, Clark Hill, FordHarrison, Harness Dickey & Pierce, Hawkins Parnell & Young, Holman Fenwick Willan, Lydecker.

01 — The ranking

The Texas board

Use this Texas board as a structured view of the best law firms in Texas. Tiers name relative standing in words across the state; REF codes locate rows for citation, and within-tier order is deliberately non-hierarchical.

TEXAS / LOCATION RANKING25 FIRMS · NO SCORESREV. 2026-07
REFFIRMFOCUSSIGNAL
TIER 1 — MARKET LEADERS6 FIRMS

The top editorial band for Texas: firms that anchor deal flow, energy and corporate mandates, and high-stakes disputes at scale statewide. Within-tier sequence rotates and is not a ranking.

T1·01 Baker Botts200–349 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 13 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·02 Haynes and Boone350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 16 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·03 Jackson Walker350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 15 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / REAL ESTATE FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·04 Kirkland & Ellis350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 11 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / FINANCE & BANKING FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·05 Norton Rose Fulbright350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 17 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·06 Vinson & Elkins350+ attorneys mapped · major local depth · 11 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 2 — HIGHLY ACTIVE6 FIRMS

Highly active on the Texas board means consistent market presence and peer recognition short of the leader set. No numeric score is assigned.

T2·01 Bracewell100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 13 practices with bench FINANCE & BANKING / LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·02 Greenberg Traurig100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 10 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / REAL ESTATE FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·03 Holland & Knight200–349 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 14 practices with bench FINANCE & BANKING / REAL ESTATE FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·04 Sidley Austin100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 9 practices with bench ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES / LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·05 Troutman Pepper200–349 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 15 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·06 Winstead200–349 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 14 practices with bench REAL ESTATE / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 3 — ESTABLISHED8 FIRMS

This band covers practices with solid Texas standing and mapped benches, without the intensity of the tiers above. Within-tier order is deliberately flat.

T3·01 Foley & Lardner100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 12 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·02 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 9 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·03 Gray Reed & McGraw100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 14 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·04 Hunton Andrews Kurth100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 11 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / REAL ESTATE FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·05 King & Spalding100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 11 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·06 Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 10 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / REAL ESTATE FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·07 Akin Gump100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 10 practices with bench CORPORATE & M&A / FINANCE & BANKING FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·08 Clark Hill100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth · 12 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES / CORPORATE & M&A FLAT → EVID ↓
NOTABLE — NOTABLE IN THIS FIELD5 FIRMS · OUTSIDE THE TIERS

Notable in this field marks verified Texas presence below full tier depth — specialist or thinner benches kept visible on purpose, not scored into the main bands.

N·01 FordHarrison5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench EMPLOYMENT & LABOR FLAT → EVID ↓
N·02 Harness Dickey & Pierce1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FLAT → EVID ↓
N·03 Hawkins Parnell & Young1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES FLAT → EVID ↓
N·04 Holman Fenwick Willan1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench MARITIME & ADMIRALTY FLAT → EVID ↓
N·05 Lydecker1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth · 1 practices with bench LITIGATION & DISPUTES 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 Texas?

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 23 Jul 2026 · next review 23 Aug 2026

Firm evidence

Tier 1 — Market leaders Open firm profile →

Baker Botts

Baker Botts is placed in market leaders for Texas. Public mapping (banded): 200–349 attorneys, major local depth, ≈125 partners · 30 counsel · 150+ associates. Evidence gates — office (G1) PASS, local practice (G2) PASS, recent signal (G3) PASS. The placement carries no numeric score.

Strongest mapped work

Litigation & DisputesCorporate & M&AIntellectual Property

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

50–99 firms earn a tier in Texas 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 North America | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  2. 2 North America | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  3. 3 North America | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  4. 4 Houston | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  5. 5 Dallas | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  6. 6 Austin | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  7. 7 Baker Botts Represents CenterPoint Energy, Inc. in $1 Billion At-the-Market Program | News | May 2026 | Baker Bottsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  8. 8 Locations | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  9. 9 Dallas | Offices | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  10. 10 Locations | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  11. 11 Houston | Offices | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  12. 12 Locations | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  13. 13 Locations | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  14. 14 Dallas | Offices | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  15. 15 Houston | Offices | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  16. 16 Austin | Offices | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  17. 17 Ricardo Garcia-Moreno Featured in Invest: Houston | News | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  18. 18 Houston Office Highlights 2025 | Haynes Boonefirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  19. 19 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  20. 20 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  21. 21 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  22. 22 Houston Attorneys | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  23. 23 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  24. 24 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  25. 25 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  26. 26 Austin Attorneys | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  27. 27 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  28. 28 Texas Law Offices | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  29. 29 San Antonio Attorneys | Jackson Walker LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  30. 30 Jackson Walker Announces Completion of Renovated Houston Office at 5 Houston Center – Jackson Walkerfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  31. 31 ‘Scene in SA’ Recognizes Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2026 “Best SA Lawyers” List – Jackson Walkerfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  32. 32 Norton Rose Fulbright — Texas office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  33. 33 Houston | Offices | United States | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbrightfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  34. 34 Dallas | Offices | United States | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbrightfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  35. 35 Norton Rose Fulbright — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  36. 36 Locations - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  37. 37 Houston - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  38. 38 Locations - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  39. 39 Dallas - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  40. 40 Locations - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  41. 41 Austin - velaw.comfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  42. 42 Houston - velaw.comfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  43. 43 Dallas - velaw.comfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  44. 44 Austin - velaw.comfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  45. 45 Mid-Level Mindset: Empowering Lawyers Through a Pivotal Career Stage - velaw.comfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  46. 46 Vinson & Elkins Advises Vital Energy in $3.1 Billion All-Stock Sale to Crescent Energy - velaw.comfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  47. 47 Locations | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  48. 48 Locations | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  49. 49 Locations | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  50. 50 Locations | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  51. 51 Houston Law Firm | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  52. 52 Dallas Law Firm | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  53. 53 San Antonio | Bracewell LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  54. 54 Bracewell — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  55. 55 Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  56. 56 Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  57. 57 Dallas | Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  58. 58 Houston | Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  59. 59 Houston | Offices | Holland & Knightfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  60. 60 Houston - Troutman Pepper Lockefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  61. 61 Dallas - Troutman Pepper Lockefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  62. 62 Houston - Troutman Pepper Lockefirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  63. 63 Troutman Pepper — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  64. 64 Locations - Winstead PCfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  65. 65 Dallas - Winstead PCfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  66. 66 Winstead — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  67. 67 Winstead — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  68. 68 Offices | Foley & Lardner LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  69. 69 Offices | Foley & Lardner LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  70. 70 Foley & Lardner — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  71. 71 J.P. Vogel Featured Across Media for Foley Arrival | News | Foley & Lardner LLPfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  72. 72 Offices - Gray Reedfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  73. 73 Houston - Gray Reedfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  74. 74 Offices - Gray Reedfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  75. 75 Dallas - Gray Reedfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  76. 76 Gray Reed & McGraw — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  77. 77 Gray Reed & McGraw — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  78. 78 Hunton Andrews Kurth LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  79. 79 Hunton Andrews Kurth LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  80. 80 Houstonfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  81. 81 Dallasfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  82. 82 Hunton Andrews Kurth — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  83. 83 Offices - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  84. 84 Houston - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  85. 85 Offices - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  86. 86 Dallas - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  87. 87 Offices - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  88. 88 Austin - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  89. 89 Houston - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  90. 90 Dallas - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  91. 91 Austin - King & Spaldingfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  92. 92 King & Spalding — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  93. 93 Offices - Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  94. 94 Dallas - Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  95. 95 Offices - Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  96. 96 Offices - Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.firm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  97. 97 Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  98. 98 Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  99. 99 Offices | Clark Hill PLCfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  100. 100 Offices | Clark Hill PLCfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  101. 101 Clark Hill — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  102. 102 Clark Hill's 2026 Annual Healthcare Industry Symposium—Dallas, Texas | News & Events | Clark Hill PLCfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  103. 103 FordHarrison — Texas office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  104. 104 Buena Vista Lyons, Attorney, Dallas, TX | FordHarrisonfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  105. 105 FordHarrison — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  106. 106 Top 10 IP Firm - Nationwide IP Firm | Harness IPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  107. 107 Dallas IP Firm | Patents | Frisco, Texasfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  108. 108 Gerald “Jerry” Welch Retires After 45 Years of Leadership and Innovation in Intellectual Property Law | Harness IPfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  109. 109 Contact Us | Hawkins Parnell & Youngfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  110. 110 Dallas | Hawkins Parnell & Youngfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  111. 111 Hawkins Parnell & Young — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  112. 112 Hawkins Parnell & Young — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  113. 113 Texas - Lydeckerfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  114. 114 Lydecker — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  115. 115 Lydecker — Texas news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
23 Jul 2026 Scope-aware market-relative core assembled.
23 Jul 2026 115 verified source(s) ingested for the researched firms; tier placement is Titan-derived 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 law firms in Texas?

Who leads Texas? As of July 2026, Market leaders are Baker Botts, Haynes and Boone, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins. 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 Baker Botts the best law firm in Texas?

Baker Botts sits in Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's Texas board as of July 2026, alongside Haynes and Boone, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins. 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 are the biggest law firms in Texas?

By mapped Texas bench, the largest firms on this board are Haynes and Boone, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins (350+ mapped lawyers each). All counts are bands, never precise headcounts.

Which law firms are hiring in Texas right now?

As of July 2026, no firm on this board shows a public hiring signal in the mapping window. Live Texas 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 Texas bench depth, seniority mix and market standing set the reference point for the market. As of July 2026 that is Baker Botts, Haynes and Boone, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Vinson & Elkins. Within the tier no firm outranks another.

Which are the best law firms for litigation & disputes in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Litigation & Disputes board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Jackson Walker, Norton Rose Fulbright, Susman Godfrey, Haynes and Boone. See the full ranking at /firms/litigation/in/texas/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for commercial litigation in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Commercial Litigation board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Norton Rose Fulbright, Susman Godfrey, Gray Reed & McGraw, Jackson Walker. See the full ranking at /firms/commercial-litigation/in/texas/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for mergers & acquisitions in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Mergers & Acquisitions board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Baker Botts. See the full ranking at /firms/mergers-acquisitions/in/texas/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for corporate & m&a in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Corporate & M&A board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Akin Gump, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis. See the full ranking at /firms/corporate/in/texas/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for unions & labor relations in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Unions & Labor Relations board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Littler Mendelson, Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart. See the full ranking at /firms/unions-labor-relations/in/texas/.

See the ranking →

Which are the best law firms for regulatory in Texas?

Sartori publishes a dedicated Regulatory board for Texas: as of July 2026 its Tier 1 is Husch Blackwell, Balch & Bingham. See the full ranking at /firms/regulatory/in/texas/.

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.