The Lawdragon selection process has been created over 30 years of researching and reporting on the legal profession and creating lists and guides to the most effective legal professionals. Our team brings more than 100 years in the lawyer reporting and information business.
The foundation of our selection is in journalism. We research each guide extensively, studying which lawyers and law practices have had significant impact, including an emphasis on recent matters handled. We review cutting-edge litigation, as well as trends in employment law and review the lawyers consistently turned to for guidance in those matters. We accept submissions and review them alongside thousands of candidates we independently identify and consider for each guide. We also work with editorial advisors who specialize in employment law on the corporate and plaintiff side to identify and vet candidates.
To make a Lawdragon guide, a lawyer will have been in practice 10 years, with extremely rare exceptions. Similarly, virtually all will be partners in their law practice or hold a designation that indicates the regard of those with whom they practice. Leadership within their practice in a firm and or in relevant bar organizations is considered. The regard in which one is held by peers is noted, and jerks rarely make the cut. We aim to include those lawyers who aspire to be and who are admired for their intellect and wisdom as well as conduct and leadership.
We began our recognition of leading U.S. corporate employment lawyers in 2007. At that time, we published a guide to the Top 50 in conjunction with Human Resources Executive magazine. During the 12 years we jointly published these definitive guides, we expanded them to include: The Top 100 U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers; 40 Up and Coming Corporate Employment Lawyers; Top 20 Specialists in Corporate Immigration; Traditional Labor; and Employee Benefits/ERISA. We also founded a Hall of Fame to recognize the contributions of legendary employment advisers.
In 2020, we began independently publishing these guides as the Lawdragon 500 U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, including all the prior categories in a single guide with practice designations. Throughout our core methodology has remained the same, while evolving to reflect the marketplace.
Lawdragon is an advocate for inclusion in the legal profession and searches extensively for female and inclusive candidates who represent diversity.