Takeaways from Forbes’ 2025 Top Lawyers List
Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributing editor
Forbes’ 2025 edition of America’s Top Lawyers came out last week and once again showed the changing nature of law in the US. The List, which premiered last year you may recall, focuses on “private practice attorneys” who have distinguished themselves through trial victories, major deals, transactions as you might expect, but it also shows some key changes occurring in US law as firms merge, AI creates seismic change and the Trump administration and economy issues change the operating environment.
So what’s new or particularly interesting this year in the law?
Getting on such a list requires not just one or two big wins but sustained visibility, institutional leadership, and sometimes navigating international or cross-jurisdictional complexity. Competition is intensifying.
A legal hotspot
Patent litigation, pharma disputes, biotech regulation are areas where a lot of money flows, and the risk is high. The names Forbes picks reflect that, but there is no question that IP and life sciences work is hot (see more below where we list the hot growth areas).
Breadth across practice areas
IP, commercial litigation, high stakes trial work, regulatory work, arbitration, etc. Lawyers are being rewarded not just for big wins but for complexity, jurisdictional reach, and sometimes geopolitical implications.
Global / geopolitical dimensions
Some of the recognised cases involve cross-border challenges or foreign sovereign bodies (e.g. involving companies vs. Russian entities, global patent settlement negotiations). So it’s not just domestic US courtroom fights. katten.com
Reputation and institutional roles matter
Being a litigation chair, IP head, or having leadership roles in your firm or bar association boosts your chances. Not just what you win, but who you are in the legal ecosystem.
Transactional & Advisory Work
While trial and litigation heavyweights get a lot of spotlight in the Forbes List, as they should, transactional, regulatory, and counseling roles are also represented significantly too.
Top Lawyers & Firms to Watch
Here are a small list of the standout names that Forbes (and media like Above the Law) are talking about in 2025.
We have the legal stars we have written about in Lawfuel previously such as hotshot litigator Alex Spiro, (left), former Paul Weiss partner Karen Dunn who has set up her own very litigation shop, Dunn Isaacson Rhee and Milbank superstar Neal Katyal, among others
Not exhaustive of the 200 names, but a tiny further selection of some making waves and worth knowing are people like those below –
| Lawyer | What They Did That Stands Out | Practice Area / Firm Role |
|---|---|---|
| Deepro R. Mukerjee (above left) | Invalidation of multiple patent claims early in litigation; major generic-drug patent battles; engineered global settlements avoiding billions in exposure. | Intellectual Property, Katten, IP Dept Chair |
| David A. Crichlow (above center) | Lead trial counsel in a US$6.3 billion dispute vs Caesars Entertainment; counsel in a case vs Gazprom over seizure of assets under complex sanctions regime. | Trial & Litigation, Katten, Litigation Dept Co-Chair |
| Robert A. Clifford (above right) | Long career in catastrophic negligence and aviation litigation; lead counsel in Boeing 737 Max8 litigation; record verdicts; advocacy beyond just courtroom. | Plaintiffs Trial Work, Personal Injury & Wrongful Death, Clifford Law Offices |
| Proskauer Partners (Monica Arora; Joe Drayton; Robert E. Freeman; Jon H. Oram; Bart H. Williams) | Recognised among Forbes top attorneys across multiple specializations including IP, private funds, litigation. | Varies (IP, Litigation, Funds) at Proskauer |
| Mathew Rosengart | Known for high profile entertainment / litigation cases (client list includes stars, big corporations), showing horseshoe-tight control over both trial and reputation. |
Key Practice Areas & Why They Matter
Based on Forbes 2025 America’s Top Lawyers plus corroborating industry reporting, these practice areas are especially prominent, either because many honorees work in them, or the stakes / novelty are high.
| Practice Area | Why It Shows Up Big in Forbes & News | What Makes It Hard / Special |
|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Property & Pharma / Biotech Patent Litigation | Big potential exposure, global reach, generics / brand drug fights. Forbes picks like Deepro Mukerjee are celebrated for multiple patent invalidations, global settlements, etc. | Requires mastery of technical subject matter, international patent regimes, regulatory regimes; often huge financial stakes; timing matters a lot (e.g. early claim construction wins) |
| High-Stakes Commercial & Trial Litigation | Many top lawyers have big trial wins or lead roles in huge disputes. For example David Crichlow has cases vs. Caesars Entertainment and versus Gazprom that involve geopolitical implications. | Trials are unpredictable; need excellent factual development, strong litigation strategy, ability to navigate public + private, sometimes cross-border law, sanctions, etc. |
| Regulatory / Sanctions / International Disputes | Cases that involve governments or state-actors, seizure of property, applying sanctions; these are high risk. Forbes gives weight to “novel geopolitical issues” in cases like the Gazprom example. | Requires not just legal skill, but also geopolitical awareness; risks include changing laws, foreign courts, diplomatic risk; clients are often big companies exposed to multiple jurisdictions |
| Private Funds / Deals / Transactions | Some honorees are recognized for transactional work (M&A, private equity, etc.). For instance, Proskauer has multiple attorneys in the list for Private Funds, IP, Litigation. | Stakes are big; the margin for error small; regulatory scrutiny rising (anti-trust, foreign investment, disclosure); need due diligence, cross-border tax, etc. |
| Commercial Litigation & Complex Contract Disputes | These are “bread and butter” but at the elite scale they involve massive dollar exposure, novel legal theories, or precedent setting. | Heavy investment in discovery, witness prep, often long duration; reputation matters; sometimes public relations / regulatory spillover |
What Practice Areas Are Over- or Under-Represented
From the breakdown, plus what I earlier noted:
Growing / Well-Represented Areas
- Data Privacy, AI, Cybersecurity shows very strong growth. Attorneys such as Andrew Serwin & Danny Tobey show this is now mainstream top-tier work. An area that should be a focus for interested younger lawyers.
- Regulatory / Government Affairs (especially environmental / health / compliance): firms with these practices are getting noticed with good representation in the List.
- Litigation / Disputes (commercial, trial) still a backbone of legal work providing a heavy part of the List’s content. Big verdicts + cross-border dispute resolution carry prestige.
- Plaintiff cases (personal injury, medical malpractice) remain visible because of gravitas (disasters, human harm) + often huge verdicts.
Less Prominent Legal Areas
- Pure transactional work without regulatory or litigation overlay seems less visible. Unless the transaction is massive or has novel risk or cross-border regulation, it’s less likely to catch the same attention.
- Some “old school” IP enforcement might be under pressure (cost, patent eligibility, global differences). The trend is toward innovation-adjacent IP: tech, biotech, patent validity, less pure troll or licensing work.
- Practices tied only to domestic regulation without international element may be less prominent (unless in a hot field like healthcare or environment).
Frequently Asked Questions About the Forbes Top Lawyers 2025 List
What is the Forbes Top Lawyers list?
Forbes publishes America’s Top Lawyers to highlight leading attorneys across practice areas including litigation, intellectual property, regulatory, corporate, and plaintiff trial work. Selection is based on editorial research, peer recommendations, industry impact, and notable case results.
How are lawyers chosen for the Forbes Top Lawyers list?
Candidates are nominated by peers, clients, and firms, then vetted by Forbes editors through case history, leadership roles, public reputation, and interviews. Only a small fraction of nominations make the final list.
Which practice areas are most represented in 2025?
The 2025 list emphasizes litigation, trial work, intellectual property disputes, and regulatory practices linked to healthcare, sanctions, and privacy. Forbes also recognized leaders in corporate transactions, private funds, and plaintiff injury litigation.
Who are some of the standout lawyers in 2025?
Names include Deepro Mukerjee for his pharmaceutical patent litigation victories, David Crichlow for high-stakes trial work and global sanctions disputes, Robert A. Clifford for aviation and catastrophic injury cases, and Proskauer partners like Bart H. Williams for elite trial litigation.
Why does the Forbes list matter for lawyers and law firms?
Being named boosts reputation, visibility, and client confidence. For firms, it showcases practice strengths in competitive markets and helps attract talent and clients. For lawyers, it validates not just case results but also leadership and influence within the profession.
Are international or cross-border cases part of the list?
Yes. Several honorees were recognized for disputes involving sanctions, foreign state actors, or global patent settlements. This reflects the growing importance of cross-border legal expertise.
