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Practice × location ranking

Best Securities Regulation 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 Securities Regulation 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 Securities Regulation board

This board maps the best Securities Regulation law firms in New York into worded tiers as of July 2026. Each band is an editorial judgement of Securities Regulation standing in New York; within a tier no firm outranks another, and monthly order is a locator, not a league table.

NEW YORK × SECURITIES REGULATION25 FIRMS · NO SCORESREV. 2026-07
REFFIRMNEW YORK SECURITIES REGULATION BANDSIGNAL
TIER 1 — MARKET LEADERS6 FIRMS

Market leaders on this board are the firms that anchor complex SEC investigations, disclosure crises and major capital-markets Securities Regulation mandates in New York. Placement is a worded judgement, never a numeric rank.

T1·01 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·02 Latham & Watkins50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·03 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·04 Sidley Austin50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·05 Sullivan & Cromwell50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T1·06 Davis Polk & Wardwell100–199 attorneys mapped · major local depth 100–199 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 2 — HIGHLY ACTIVE9 FIRMS

Firms here maintain a clear, busy Securities Regulation profile in New York. The label is editorial; within-tier order rotates and carries no hierarchy.

T2·01 Ellenoff Grossman & Schole50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·02 Fried Frank50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·03 Kirkland & Ellis50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·04 Labaton Sucharow50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·05 Lowenstein Sandler50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·06 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·07 Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·08 Willkie Farr & Gallagher50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T2·09 A&O Shearman50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
TIER 3 — ESTABLISHED10 FIRMS

Established firms have a verified, durable Securities Regulation footprint in New York, assessed at full tier depth. They sit below the more active bands by editorial judgement, not by score.

T3·01 Wilmer Hale25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·02 Akin Gump25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS HIRING ↑ EVID ↓
T3·03 Blank Rome25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·04 Cooley Godward25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·05 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·06 Milbank50–99 attorneys mapped · major local depth 50–99 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·07 Paul Hastings25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·08 Quinn Emanuel25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·09 Skadden Arps25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 ATTORNEYS FLAT → EVID ↓
T3·10 Weil Gotshal & Manges25–49 attorneys mapped · major local depth 25–49 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 →

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is placed in market leaders for Securities Regulation in New York. Public mapping (banded): 50–99 attorneys, major local depth, ≈40 partners · 10 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

Litigation & DisputesCorporate & M&AReal Estate

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 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  2. 2 New York - Gibson Dunnfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  3. 3 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  4. 4 New York - Latham & Watkinsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  5. 5 New York - Latham & Watkinsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  6. 6 Latham & Watkins — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  7. 7 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  8. 8 New York | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  9. 9 Private Equity | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  10. 10 Private Equity M&A | Paul, Weissfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  11. 11 Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison — 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 Offices | Sullivan & Cromwell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  16. 16 New York | Sullivan & Cromwell LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  17. 17 New York | Sullivan & Cromwell LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  18. 18 Sullivan & Cromwell — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  19. 19 Our offices | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  20. 20 U.S. Summer Program | Davis Polkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  21. 21 Davis Polk & Wardwell — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  22. 22 Mergers & Acquisitions | Davis Polkfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  23. 23 Offices - Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  24. 24 About Our Practice | Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  25. 25 Corporate & Securities Law - EGS LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  26. 26 SPACs and Alternative Public Offerings Law - EGS LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  27. 27 Ellenoff Grossman & Schole — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  28. 28 Office Locations | Fried Frankfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  29. 29 New York | Office Location | Fried Frankfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  30. 30 Tax | Fried Frankfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  31. 31 Fried Frank — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  32. 32 Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  33. 33 New York | Locations | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  34. 34 Private Equity | Services | Kirkland & Ellis LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  35. 35 Kirkland & Ellis — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  36. 36 Offices | The Firm | Labaton Keller Sucharowfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-22
  37. 37 Labaton Sucharow — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-22
  38. 38 Labaton Sucharow — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-22
  39. 39 Contact Us | Lowenstein Sandler LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  40. 40 About Us | Lowenstein Sandler LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  41. 41 Lowenstein Sandler — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  42. 42 Lowenstein Sandler — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  43. 43 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  44. 44 New York Office | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  45. 45 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  46. 46 Contact - WLRKfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  47. 47 Corporate - WLRKfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  48. 48 The Firm - WLRKfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  49. 49 Salesforce in its $3.6 billion acquisition of Fin (formerly Intercom) - WLRKfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  50. 50 Wachtell Lipton Wins Matter of the Year at 2026 GCR Awards - WLRKfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  51. 51 New York | Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  52. 52 Willkie Signs 20-Year, 315,000 Sq. Foot Lease for Firm Headquarters at 787 Seventh Avenue in New Yorkfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  53. 53 Willkie Farr & Gallagher — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  54. 54 Willkie Farr & Gallagher — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  55. 55 Lawyers in United States - A&O Shearmanfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  56. 56 Lawyers in United States - A&O Shearmanfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  57. 57 A&O Shearman — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  58. 58 Contact WilmerHalefirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  59. 59 New Yorkfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  60. 60 Wilmer Hale — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  61. 61 New York | Akinfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  62. 62 New York | Akinfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  63. 63 Private Equity | Akinfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  64. 64 Akin Gump — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  65. 65 Blank Rome — New York office pagesfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  66. 66 Blank Rome — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  67. 67 Blank Rome — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  68. 68 Geographies // Cooley // Global Law Firmfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  69. 69 Cooley Godward — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  70. 70 Cooley Godward — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  71. 71 New York | Freshfieldsfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  72. 72 United States Law Careers | Freshfieldsfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  73. 73 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  74. 74 New York Office | Milbank LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  75. 75 Banking and Leveraged Finance | Milbank LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  76. 76 Milbank — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  77. 77 New York Office | Paul Hastings LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  78. 78 Locations | Paul Hastings LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  79. 79 New York Office | Paul Hastings LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  80. 80 Paul Hastings — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
  81. 81 Our Locations | Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  82. 82 Quinn Emanuel — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  83. 83 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
  84. 84 Locations | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  85. 85 New York | Locations | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-21
  86. 86 Skadden Arps — attorney bios & practice pagesfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-21
  87. 87 Skadden Arps — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-21
  88. 88 New York - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPfirm_website · G1 · 2026-07-20
  89. 89 New York - Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPfirm_website · G2 · 2026-07-20
  90. 90 Weil Gotshal & Manges — New York news & announcementsfirm_website · G3 · 2026-07-20
22 Jul 2026 Scope-aware market-relative core assembled.
22 Jul 2026 90 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 Securities Regulation law firms in New York?

As of July 2026, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Sidley Austin, Sullivan & Cromwell, Davis Polk & Wardwell occupy Tier 1 — Market leaders — on Sartori's New York Securities Regulation board. That band is an editorial judgement of regulatory-bench depth, seniority mix and market standing; full placement of all 25 visible firms is on this page.

Is Gibson Dunn & Crutcher the best Securities Regulation law firm in New York?

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher sits in Tier 1 — Market leaders — of Sartori's New York Securities Regulation board as of July 2026, alongside Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Sidley Austin, Sullivan & Cromwell, Davis Polk & Wardwell. 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 Securities Regulation benches in New York?

By mapped New York bench, the largest firms on this board are Davis Polk & Wardwell (100–199 mapped lawyers each), followed by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Sidley Austin, Sullivan & Cromwell, Ellenoff Grossman & Schole, Fried Frank, Kirkland & Ellis, Labaton Sucharow, Lowenstein Sandler, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, A&O Shearman, Milbank (50–99). All counts are bands, never precise headcounts.

Which Securities Regulation 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 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Sidley Austin, Sullivan & Cromwell, Davis Polk & Wardwell. 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.