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Practice × location ranking

Best private equity 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 21 Jul 2026 · Next review by 21 Aug 2026 · Change log

›Direct answer & research summary

Sartori & Partners 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 Private Equity law firms in New York are: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Debevoise & Plimpton, Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin, Proskauer, Ropes & Gray, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Goodwin Procter, Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, DLA Piper, Morgan Lewis, Weil Gotshal & Manges, Akin Gump, Cleary Gottlieb, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Dechert, Chiomenti Studio Legale, Blake Cassels & Graydon.

01 — The ranking

The New York Private Equity board

A tier is a judgement expressed in words. Within a tier no firm outranks another — the order rotates monthly and the REF is a locator, not a rank. Each row links to the firm’s profile and to the evidence behind its place.

NEW YORK × PRIVATE EQUITY20 FIRMS · NO SCORESREV. 2026-07
REFFIRMNEW YORK PRIVATE EQUITY BANDSIGNAL
TIER 1 — MARKET LEADERS4 FIRMS
T1·01 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·02 Debevoise & Plimpton100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·03 Kirkland & Ellis200–349 attorneys mapped · major local depth 200–349 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·04 Sidley Austin100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 2 — HIGHLY ACTIVE7 FIRMS
T2·01 Proskauer100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·02 Ropes & Gray50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·03 Willkie Farr & Gallagher50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·04 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·05 Goodwin Procter50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·06 Latham & Watkins50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·07 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 3 — ESTABLISHED7 FIRMS
T3·01 DLA Piper25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·02 Morgan Lewis50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·03 Weil Gotshal & Manges100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·04 Akin Gump50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS HIRING ↑ EVID ↓
T3·05 Cleary Gottlieb25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·06 Davis Polk & Wardwell50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·07 Dechert50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
NOTABLE — NOTABLE IN THIS FIELD2 FIRMS · OUTSIDE THE TIERS
N·01 Chiomenti Studio Legale5–9 attorneys mapped · thin local depth 5–9 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
N·02 Blake Cassels & Graydon1–4 attorneys mapped · thin local depth 1–4 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 21 Jul 2026 · next review 21 Aug 2026

Firm evidence

Tier 1 — Market leaders Open firm profile →

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is placed in market leaders for Private Equity in New York. Public mapping (banded): 100–199 attorneys, major local depth, ≈100 partners · 15 counsel · 30+ associates. Evidence gates — office (G1) PASS, local practice (G2) PASS, recent signal (G3) PASS. The placement carries no numeric score.

Strongest mapped work

Corporate & M&AFinance & BankingTax

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

10–24 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 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  2. 2 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  3. 3 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  4. 4 Locations | About Us | Debevoise & Plimpton LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  5. 5 New York | Locations | About Us | Debevoise & Plimpton LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  6. 6 New York | Locations | About Us | Debevoise & Plimpton LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  7. 7 Debevoise & Plimpton — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  8. 8 Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  9. 9 New York | Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  10. 10 Private Equity | Services | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  11. 11 Kirkland & Ellis — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  12. 12 New York | Locations | Sidley Austin LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  13. 13 Sidley Austin — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  14. 14 Sidley Austin — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  15. 15 New York - Offices - Proskauer Rose LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  16. 16 Private Equity - Industries - Proskauer Rose LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  17. 17 Proskauer — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  18. 18 Ropes & Gray Expands Presence in New York with New Office Lease | News & Events | Ropes & Gray LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  19. 19 Ropes & Gray — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  20. 20 Ropes & Gray — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  21. 21 New York | Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  22. 22 Willkie Signs 20-Year, 315,000 Sq. Foot Lease for Firm Headquarters at 787 Seventh Avenue in New Yorkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  23. 23 Willkie Farr & Gallagher — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  24. 24 Willkie Farr & Gallagher — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  25. 25 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  26. 26 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  27. 27 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  28. 28 New York Law Firms | Lawyers in New York | Goodwinfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  29. 29 Goodwin Signs Lease for New York Office at Iconic 200 Fifth Avenue in the Heart of Flatiron District on Madison Square Parkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  30. 30 New York Law Firms | Lawyers in New York | Goodwinfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  31. 31 Goodwin Procter — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  32. 32 New York - Latham & Watkinsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  33. 33 New York - Latham & Watkinsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  34. 34 Latham & Watkins — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  35. 35 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  36. 36 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  37. 37 Private Equity | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  38. 38 Private Equity M&A | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  39. 39 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  40. 40 Locations | Global Law Firm | DLA Piperfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  41. 41 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  42. 42 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  43. 43 Law Firm in New York City, NY | DLA Piperfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  44. 44 Morgan Lewis — New York office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  45. 45 Morgan Lewis — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  46. 46 Morgan Lewis Advises Private Equity Funds Involved in Yesway IPO – Newsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  47. 47 New York - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  48. 48 New York - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  49. 49 Weil Gotshal & Manges — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  50. 50 New York | Akinfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  51. 51 New York | Akinfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  52. 52 Private Equity | Akinfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  53. 53 Akin Gump — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  54. 54 New York | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  55. 55 Where We Work | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  56. 56 Cleary Gottlieb — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  57. 57 Markets Group’s 14th Private Equity New York Forum | Events | Cleary Gottliebfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  58. 58 Our offices | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  59. 59 U.S. Summer Program | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  60. 60 Davis Polk & Wardwell — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  61. 61 Mergers & Acquisitions | Davis Polkfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  62. 62 Locations | Dechert LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  63. 63 Offices | Dechert LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  64. 64 New York | Dechert LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  65. 65 New York | Dechert LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  66. 66 Dechert Sees Strong M&A and Private Equity Activity in Early 2026 | Dechert LLPfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  67. 67 Offices | Chiomentifirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  68. 68 Chiomenti | The Firmfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  69. 69 Private Equityfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  70. 70 Chiomenti Studio Legale — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  71. 71 Law Firm Offices in Canada, USA, and UK | Blakesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  72. 72 New York Office | Blakesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  73. 73 Fund Formation | Blakesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
21 Jul 2026 Scope-aware market-relative core assembled.
21 Jul 2026 73 verified source(s) ingested for the researched firms; tier placement is Titan-derived so unresearched visible firms do not block approval → APPROVED (auto).
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04 — Questions

About this ranking

Who are the best Private Equity law firms in New York?

As of July 2026, the Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's New York Private Equity ranking are Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Debevoise & Plimpton, Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin. The full board groups 20 firms into editorial tiers, expressed in words rather than scores; within a tier the order rotates monthly and carries no meaning.

Is Simpson Thacher & Bartlett the best Private Equity law firm in New York?

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett sits in Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's New York Private Equity board as of July 2026, alongside Debevoise & Plimpton, Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin. 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 Private Equity benches in New York?

By mapped New York bench, the largest firms on this board are Kirkland & Ellis (200–349 mapped lawyers each), followed by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Debevoise & Plimpton, Sidley Austin, Proskauer, Weil Gotshal & Manges (100–199). All counts are bands, never precise headcounts.

Which Private Equity teams are hiring in New York?

As of July 2026, Akin Gump show a public hiring signal — open roles or net headcount gains observed 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 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Debevoise & Plimpton, Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin. 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 Weil Gotshal & Manges, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Sidley Austin. 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.