Methodology/Sources:

For a firm to be included in the National Rankings chart The American Lawyer must receive ten or more completed surveys from a firm's midlevel associates. "Midlevels" includes third-, fourth-, and fifth-year associates. In 2008, 157 firms participated. An individual firm's response rate is based on the number of returns out of the surveys distributed. A firm can choose which branch offices take part, so the number of eligible midlevels does not always reflect the size of midlevel classes firmwide.

Scores are based on a 1-to-5 scale, with 1 being the lowest, and 5 the highest. A firm's national score is the average of its responses, which collectively summarize the firm's qualities, including the interest and satisfaction levels of work; benefits and compensation; relations between associates and partners; training and guidance; openness about finances and strategies; billable hours policy; and the likelihood of the associate being at the firm in two years. Traditionally, scores are based on 12 questions, but due to an editing error a scoring question asking the respondent about the firm's attitude toward pro bono work was omitted this year. All of a firm's responses are used to calculate the overall average, the basis for the rankings. For calculations of average hours billed, hours worked, base salary, or bonus, however, part-time associates were excluded.

Firms designated as "national" rather than by their headquarters have no more than 45 percent of their lawyers in any single region. Firms with an "international" designation have at least 40 percent of their lawyers working outside their home country. All others list the firm's headquarters as their location. Branch offices included in the Results by City chart returned at least five or more completed responses from associates in that office. The same questions were calculated for individual cities or markets to determine branch scores and rankings. All question averages were rounded to two decimal places. Firm scores were rounded to three decimal places.

Years available for purchase: 2004-2008