Ranking tables

Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite | USA

California

Our definition of general commercial litigation will always take into consideration the other practice areas that we cover in a given state. It is therefore a fairly broad interpretation of commercial litigation, perhaps more easily defined by what is not included within it. If, for example, we are looking at a state where we have coverage of IP, antitrust and bankruptcy litigation in standalone tables, we would not expect too much of this work to be included in a commercial litigation table and would be looking more for business disputes such as breach of contract claims. The work should be civil, and should involve disputes between business entities.

All Departments profiles

1

Band 1

  1. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
    1
    Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked
    Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is a high-caliber practice group with top-tier credentials in securities and commercial disputes, regularly picked by clients for high-stakes, bet-the-company cases. The firm possesses a wealth of expertise in trial work, counting several former prosecutors with extensive litigation experience among its roster of standout attorneys. It handles a plethora of other disputes in areas such as IP, employment and product liability. The team services an impressive array of blue-chip corporates, including a number of Silicon Valley behemoths, in highly publicized litigation battles. It also features a leading appellate practice with an enviable track record in representing major corporations in the Ninth Circuit and Supreme Court.
  2. Hueston Hennigan LLP
    1
    Hueston Hennigan LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked
    Hueston Hennigan is a highly regarded litigation boutique with a fine track record across both plaintiff and defense-side commercial cases, calling upon a talented bench of expert trial lawyers. The firm possesses a diverse caseload including environmental, employment, intellectual property and breach of contract matters.
  3. Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
    1
    Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked
    Munger, Tolles & Olson is a renowned litigation outfit with strong credentials across commercial and securities disputes, counting household names and multinational corporations among its roster of clients. The firm offers comprehensive coverage in business-critical issues, ranging from antitrust, contractual disputes and IP to litigation arising from environmental disasters and industrial accidents. Calls upon a stable of leading trial and appellate advocates, notable for their breadth of expertise and deep experience.
  4. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
    1
    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked
    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is an innovative business litigation-focused group that excels in high-stakes securities and commercial matters. The firm is well resourced to lead the charge in the prosecution of securities litigation claims relating to IPOs, M&A and RMBS matters. It offers broad strengths in wider commercial disputes, with particular expertise in complex intellectual property matters. The team is highly regarded for its courtroom skills, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide array of trial and appellate proceedings nationwide.
2

Band 2

  1. Cooley LLP
    2
    Cooley LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked
    Cooley offers a deep bench of skilled litigators with strong substantive knowledge in securities and commercial litigation. Particularly adept at representing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in major class actions, as well as excellent skills in intellectual property disputes.
  2. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
    2
    Kirkland & Ellis LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked
    Kirkland & Ellis has a superb team that provides expertise in the full gamut of complex litigation for a number of multinational corporations. The firm is proficient in class action cases as well as appellate matters in federal and state courts, with notable expertise in areas including breach of contract claims and antitrust work.
  3. Latham & Watkins LLP
    2
    Latham & Watkins LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked
    Latham & Watkins maintains a formidable reputation for undertaking precedent-setting bet-the-company securities matters, offering notable strengths in regulatory compliance and shareholder litigation. The firm also provides a comprehensive commercial litigation offering to multinational companies, acting on complex and high-value cases in state and federal courts nationwide. Its particular areas of expertise include representing media and entertainment, technology and pharmaceutical companies.
  4. Morrison Foerster
    2
    Morrison Foerster
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked
    Morrison Foerster has a formidable litigation practice recognized for its capabilities in market-defining securities litigation and cutting-edge commercial cases. The firm calls upon excellent expertise in the technology and financial services sectors to provide strength in diverse matters, including privacy and data security issues and unfair business practice claims. Securities expertise spans class actions and corporate governance cases, among other areas. It is considered a go-to resource for mega Silicon Valley players facing challenging litigation, alongside roles acting for major financial institutions, retailers and manufacturers.
3

Band 3

  1. Jones Day
    3
    Jones Day
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked
    Jones Day provides expertise across a broad spectrum of commercial litigation matters to a roster of major multinational clients. It features notable capability in mass tort claims, product liability matters, antitrust cases and IP disputes. The firm's clients benefit from the firm's global footprint, drawing from extensive resources nationwide and globally to assist with major litigation matters.
  2. O'Melveny & Myers LLP
    3
    O'Melveny & Myers LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked
    O'Melveny & Myers houses a strong complement of famed litigators with expertise covering a broad range of complex issues. The firm is equally proficient handling commercial litigation and securities disputes across industries including energy, retail, media and entertainment and financial services. It offers a strong platform for companies with interests in Asia, demonstrating significant experience in assisting China-based businesses in US litigation.
  3. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
    3
    Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked
    Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has an impressive offering in securities matters, covering the full range of shareholder derivative suits, class action matters and SEC administrative proceedings. The firm also regularly tackles complex and significant commercial litigation, frequently representing corporate clients facing class action litigation and breach of contract disputes. It is particularly proficient in trade secret and employee mobility matters. Orrick offers impressive coverage across the state and internationally, leveraging its extensive resources for cross-border disputes.
  4. Sidley Austin LLP
    3
    Sidley Austin LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked
    Sidley Austin is a full-service firm with excellent strengths in litigation disputes, drawing from a strong team of expert trial lawyers across California and nationwide. It offers particularly strong capabilities in consumer class action defense, alongside broader experience in areas including financial services and media and entertainment litigation. The firm is regularly called upon in securities litigation and has a well-deserved reputation for its strengths representing underwriters.
  5. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates
    3
    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked
    Skadden has a fine trial team with substantive experience in a wide range of sectors, representing both individuals and corporate interests in complex disputes. The firm features a robust securities group that offers expertise in areas including financial services, healthcare and technology. It is regularly called upon to handle bet-the-company matters and major class actions, well supported by its nationwide and global offices.
  6. Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 3
4

Band 4

  1. Bird, Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks & Nessim, LLP
    4
    Bird, Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks & Nessim, LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked
    Bird Marella is a specialist litigation boutique that undertakes high-profile cases for clients in industries such as media and entertainment, technology and manufacturing. The firm offers significant expertise in commercial matters, with strengths in disputes involving issues such as IP and antitrust. It is particularly noted for its stable of talented trial lawyers, with in-depth experience of state and federal courts in California and nationwide.
  2. Covington & Burling LLP
    4
    Covington & Burling LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 3 Years Ranked
    Covington & Burling brings vast experience in commercial litigation to bear when handling high-stakes disputes, often arising from the technology, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. The team is highly proficient in handling class actions, breach of contract and mass tort claims, and offers additional expertise in IP-related litigation.
  3. Paul Hastings LLP
    4
    Paul Hastings LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 3 Years Ranked
    Paul Hastings is often called upon by a range of banks, institutional investors and multinational companies to assist with major securities disputes. The firm also offers strong capabilities in a plethora of commercial litigation matters, with expertise across areas including breach of contract issues, intellectual property matters and class action defense. It acts for clients in sectors including healthcare, financial services, technology and energy.
  4. Proskauer Rose LLP
    4
    Proskauer Rose LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked
    Proskauer Rose has a robust business disputes practice which houses a strong bench of expert litigators, with significant courtroom experience. The firm acts for a diverse and impressive client base of multinational corporates, investors, governmental entities and individuals, as well as traditional strengths in acting for sporting associations.
  5. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
    4
    Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked
    Sullivan & Cromwell is a full-service litigation group offering representation in high-profile cases, with experience in areas including antitrust, IP, securities and wider commercial disputes. The firm excels in contentious class action matters, including significant multidistrict proceedings. Its wide-ranging client base includes a number of leading financial institutions, technology companies and manufacturers.
  6. White & Case LLP
    4
    White & Case LLP
    Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite
    2024 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked
    White & Case is frequently called upon to provide expertise in complex commercial litigation, with strengths in areas including antitrust disputes, breach of contract claims and defending consumer class action lawsuits. The firm has noted international capabilities, regularly handling litigation for Asian companies.