How does the law firm you're working for - or thinking of working for - rank for quality of life and other such factors?

And here's another question - do 'quality of life firms' also correlate to the most prestigious firms to work for?

The answer may surprise you.

Vault last week released its 2019 edition of law firm rankings, using a comparison that used associates to rank firm based on those that are most relevant to quality of life factors - such as firm culture, compensation, hours, selectivity, lateral/clerk integration, associate/partner relations, formal training, informal training and mentoring, pro bono, quality of work, business outlook, career outlook, and transparency.

And what about that quality-of-life to prestige issue?

“Prestige and compensation will always be important for law firms, but a stellar work environment is becoming non-negotiable for many attorneys,” said Matt Moody, Vault’s Senior Law Editor. “The modern workforce is much more focused on work/life balance, transparent communication, and inclusive cultures, and the legal industry is not immune from this trend.”

Big Movement

There was significant movement in the Top 10 this year.

The Top 10 Best Law Firms to Work For based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey for 2019:

1. O’Melveny & Myers (+2)
2. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (no change)
3. Clifford Chance (not ranked; first time in Top 10)
4. Paul Hastings (-3)
5. White & Case (not ranked; first time in Top 10)
6. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (-2)
7. Thompson & Knight (+1)
8. Ropes & Gray (-3)
9. Crowell & Moring (not ranked; first time in Top 10)
10. Latham & Watkins (+9)

So that's the top 10 - more movement and a greater emphasis upon QOL factors will see continued movement in the firms, we figure.