Last week, Vault unveiled the 2025 edition of its closely watched law firm rankings, highlighting Cravath's competitive pay scale's role in boosting firm prestige. However, the latest rankings turn the spotlight from prestige to workplace happiness.

In Vault's 2026 Best Law Firms to Work For survey, associates rated their employers on factors crucial to their quality of life. These included job satisfaction, firm culture, hours, compensation, and more. The survey, conducted from January to March 2025, offers insights into the post-bonus environment at these top law firms.

Surprisingly, none of the top 10 most prestigious law firms made it into the top 10 best firms to work for. This year saw significant shifts in the rankings, suggesting that high prestige does not always correlate with a superior work environment. Here are the firms that made the top 10:

1. O’Melveny & Myers (no change) 2. Morgan Lewis & Bockius (no change) 3. Clifford Chance US (no change) 4. McDermott Will & Emery (no change) 5. Eversheds Sutherland (up from #13) 6. Gunster (up from #12) 7. Sheppard Mullin (up from #11) 8. Mayer Brown (up from #37) 9. Fried Frank (down from #6) 10. Warner Norcross + Judd (down from #8)

The fierce competition between O’Melveny and Morgan Lewis highlighted this year's rankings, with both firms excelling across nearly all quality of life categories. O’Melveny clinched the top spot for Overall Best Law Firm to Work For and Best Summer Associate Program, while Morgan Lewis took the lead in Overall Inclusion.

This year’s rankings not only celebrate the achievements of the top firms but also challenge the industry's larger firms to reflect on their own practices and how they impact associate life. As the legal industry continues to evolve, these rankings serve as a crucial barometer for prospective employees and a benchmark for firms aiming to improve their workplace environment.

For more details on the rankings and to see how other firms stacked up, you can view the full list at Vault’s official site. Congratulations to all the firms that made the list, with a special nod to O'Melveny and Morgan Lewis for setting high standards in workplace satisfaction and inclusivity.