The legal services business in the United States is a vast and rapidly expanding sector, valued at over $300 billion. However, legal services are impossible without attorneys. And it goes without saying that you need the best if you’re looking for legal representation for yourself or your startup or large company.
The first edition of America’s Top Lawyers lists the best attorneys in the field—those with exceptional track records in their areas of expertise, those who have overcome obstacles to become leaders in their industries, and attorneys who are well regarded by both clients and colleagues.
An editorial staff with extensive expertise in both the legal marketplace and practice of law completed a thorough, multi-stage process of investigation, evaluation, and rating hundreds of applicants before choosing the finest attorneys on this list.
The final product is an exclusive group of attorneys who have been part of some of the most important cases, transactions, or legal developments in the past several years, including litigation, technology, transactional law, intellectual property, civil rights, M&A, and private equity, to mention a few. While some have gained instant notoriety, others are leaving a less conspicuous imprint. However, they all have a reputation for honesty, a track record of success, and Forbes has named them the finest in the industry.
Here is a list of powerful solicitors who excel when it comes to competence, passion, and purpose—for you or your company.
Best Lawyers in America 2024
1. Roberta Kaplan
In a variety of ways, Kaplan has left her stamp on legal history. Co-founding the Time’s Up Legal Defence Fund in 2018, Kaplan is a pioneer for LGBTQA+ rights and an advocate of the #MeToo movement. The organisation continues to assist victims of discrimination and sexu@l harassment in the workplace with legal help.
Recent high-profile victories for Kaplan including a $5 million judgement against former President Donald Trump for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll and then defaming her in a social media post; further defamation resulted in a $83.3 million judgement. It’s the type of victory that calls for Kaplan’s signature litigation and advocacy skills—tough as nails.
“You have to be fearless, push boundaries wherever you are, and believe that things can always get better if you want to be a great lawyer,” says Kaplan. “A lawyer should accept a client or cause because they feel it is the proper thing to do, in their intellect and in their heart.”
In addition to leading a prosperous white-collar defence and commercial litigation boutique with clients including Airbnb, UberUBER +0.9%, and Ashley Biden, the daughter of the president, Kaplan is also known for her pro bono and advocacy work. As an example, consider her seminal decision United States v. Windsor, which forced the federal government to acknowledge same-sex marriage for the first time and eventually overturned a portion of the 1996 Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Kaplan thinks it’s critical to resist “corrosive cynicism” and have faith in a system that allows judges and unbiased juries to hear cases based only on their merits. She is inspired by a certain saying that was penned by a rabbi a long time ago: “The world is a very small bridge.” It’s crucial to overcome fear. According to Kaplan, this might have been written by a lawyer today. “We can’t let fear or cynicism win. It matters what we do on a daily basis to protect justice.
2. Yvette Ostolaza
Firm: Sidley Austin LLP
Ostolaza has made a name for herself at the top of the legal profession. Specialising in business disputes, securities legislation, and regulatory compliance, she has effectively defended customers in a variety of sectors, including NPR, Zale Corporation, Southwest Airlines (LUV +2.1%), Halliburton (HAL +0.4%), and NPR.
Her greatest source of pride, though, is the path she’s paving for next generations of lawyers, especially Latinas, who now make up only 2% of the legal profession. She is the first Hispanic woman to run a firm in the Am Law 100 as chair of the management committee at Sidley Austin.
“I am pleased with this achievement and the fact that Sidley, a 158-year-old company, was the pioneer in this regard,” Ostolaza declares. Because Big Law leadership reflects the customers we represent, I hope that diverse lawyers entering the legal field today won’t remember this success.
Ostolaza’s achievements are self-explanatory. Sidley has generated almost $3 billion in income under her direction. As lead counsel in high-profile cases, Ostolaza has successfully defended major international clients like NPR, Best BuyBBY -0.3%, and MGM Resorts. As national counsel for Aspen Insurance in the COVID-19 business interruption coverage action, she recently oversaw a multistate team.
Ostolaza, a Miami native and the first person in her family of Cuban Americans to attend college, attributes her 30-year professional ascent from associate to partner, global litigation co-leader, executive committee, to her strong work ethic and dedication to serving clients.
“The service culture is fundamental to our business, and I enjoy collaborating closely with teams on a daily basis,” Ostolaza explains. “My greatest calling, in my opinion, is to train the next generation of Sidley lawyers.”
3. Alex Spiro
Spiro is an eminent attorney whose clientele is as diverse as it is illustrious, including everyone from rap artists and athletes to business moguls and corporate titans. But “complete trial lawyer” is the best way to describe Spiro. He brings a lawsuit, prevails—wash, rinse, repeat.
Spiro said, “There are many talented, intelligent, and hardworking lawyers.” “In order to succeed in any career, you must set yourself apart in some way.”
Spiro has made a name for himself in trial advocacy and by amassing an impressive clientele of A-list figures. In addition to other Twitter-related cases, he defended Megan Thee Stallion at the trial of her gunman, Tory Lanez, and Elon Musk in a defamation lawsuit. In addition to defending Alec Baldwin in his involuntary manslaughter lawsuit after the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the making of Rust, Spiro is now assisting WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann in his attempt to regain that firm.
Spiro’s background as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and his psychology degree from Tufts University have strengthened his white-collar criminal defence, investigation, and litigation practice. These experiences have shaped his viewpoint.
As a trial attorney, Spiro states, “It matters most to me to take on cases where the odds are stacked against you.” “The key is preparation.” I try to concentrate on the specifics of a case, the psychology of why individuals behave the way they do, and I ask a lot of questions.
Other factors contributing to his success? He states, “You have to be willing to reject conventional wisdom and paths.” “Go left when people are going right.”
4. Ben Crump
Ben Crump is a classic example of the American Dream realised. Born the eldest of nine children in a small rural North Carolina town, he went on to become one of the nation’s most prominent and prosperous plaintiffs’ lawyers.
On the other hand, if you look in the mirror, Crump is still defending the American Dream—on behalf of others—by taking up cases involving excessive force by police and standing up for those who have been discriminated against in the workplace, in the health, and in the environment.
Crump said, “This is a journey to justice.” “That won’t occur over night.”
Crump’s company covers a wide range of matters, including class actions, mass torts, personal injury, and environmental litigation, in addition to civil rights cases. Crump claims that while his company gets hundreds of requests for representation every day, the civil rights cases for which he has gained notoriety account for a very tiny portion of his business. Crump is collaborating with businesses in other countries on a range of matters, use his reputation as a lawyer to create a prosperous national practice.
Although they may not make up the majority of his practice, the cases he has handled involving police brutality—including those involving Tyre Nichols, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tamir Rice, to mention a few—keep him inspired. He believes that despite the few steps that he has seen so far—whether they be multimillion dollar judgements or modifications to police protocols such as the outlawing of chokeholds—he is still optimistic.
The namesake of the recently established Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University in Florida encourages attorneys to take social justice work into consideration and urges law students to weigh the advantages of taking a less-traveled road.
Crump asserts that one should not make a vow of poverty “just because you go out and try to help people who don’t have a voice and can’t fight for themselves.” “It is possible to be good and still succeed in life.”
