--- title: "Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Law Firms To Work For In America (2027)" author: "Staci Zaretsky" published_at: "2026-04-15T17:42:00+00:00" link: "https://abovethelaw.com/2026/04/vault-quality-of-life-rankings-the-best-law-firms-to-work-for-in-america-2027/" feed: "https://abovethelaw.com/feed/" clawfeed: "https://agent.clawfeeds.com/feed/6l2j-zrhq-h4rr.md" feed_url: "https://agent.clawfeeds.com/feed/6l2j-zrhq-h4rr.md" categories: ["Biglaw","Best Firms to Work For","Bonus News Alerts","Happiness","Quality of Life","Vault","Vault rankings"] --- # Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Law Firms To Work For In America (2027) Last week, Vault released the 2027 edition of its [closely watched law firm rankings](https://abovethelaw.com/2026/04/vault-100-rankings-the-most-prestigious-law-firms-in-america-2027/), proving that prestige has its limits. While money — in the form of Cravath’s perennially competitive pay scale — can help maintain a firm’s place near the top, defending the rule of law in the face of a brazenly authoritarian president can reshape how associates define prestige altogether. But can that money buy happiness when associates are increasingly measuring prestige not just in dollars, but in whether their firms are willing to stand up for justice in America? In a companion ranking to the Vault 100, associates were asked to rank their own law firms based on categories most relevant to their overall quality of life, including satisfaction; firm culture; hours; compensation; quality of work; business outlook; career outlook; associate/partner relations; transparency; formal and informal training; pro bono; and overall inclusion. Fifty firms were ranked for Vault’s 2027 Best Law Firms to Work For survey, which was conducted from October 22, 2025 to January 23, 2026, so we’re getting a bird’s-eye view of life at many of these firms in the aftermath of Trump’s revenge tour against Biglaw and the broader legal industry. We’re also looking at feedback from associates during the fast-paced rise of artificial intelligence being used within the legal profession. All of that being said, only of the firms that made the Top 10 list for being the most prestigious made the Top 10 list for being a best firm to work for. There was a huge amount of movement in the Top 10 this year. Which firms made the cut? Without any further ado, here are the [Top 10 Best Law Firms to Work For](https://vault.com/best-companies-to-work-for/law/best-law-firms-to-work-for) based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey for 2027: 1. Morgan Lewis & Bockius (+1) 2. O’Melveny & Myers (-1) 3. Clifford Chance US (no change) 4. Ropes & Gray (+36) 5. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher (+16) 6. Fried Frank (+3) 7. Mayer Brown (+1) 8. Gunster (-2) 9. Baker & Hostetler (+2) 10. Proskauer (not ranked) In happy news for associate quality of life, Morgan Lewis and O’Melveny duked it out once again this year, competing to really impress their associates. As noted by Eric Stutzke, SVP and General Manager of Vault, “We saw another close race between Morgan Lewis and O’Melveny for the Best Law Firm to Work For title.” Both Morgan Lewis and O’Melveny placed in the top 10 for every quality of life category, with each snagging the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in nearly every ranking. “When looking at the average scores from all associates participating in the survey, the largest increases were in Technology and Innovation and Wellness,” Stutke said. “Firms are investing more in AI-powered tools and technologies. They are also paying more attention to the mental and physical well-being of associates.” This certainly helps explain the meteoric rise in the rankings for Ropes and Gibson Dunn, which both placed well in the tech and wellness categories. Congratulations to each of the Biglaw firms that made the latest edition of the Vault Best Firms to Work For rankings, and a huge congratulations to Morgan Lewis and O’Melveny for scoring incredibly well. How did your firm do? [Email us](mailto:tips@abovethelaw.com?subject=%5BLaw%20Firm%5D%20Vault%20Best%20Firm%20Rankings), text us at [(646) 820-8477](tel:(646)%20820-8477), or tweet us [@atlblog](https://twitter.com/atlblog) to let us know how you feel. [Best Law Firms to Work For (2027)](https://vault.com/best-companies-to-work-for/law/best-law-firms-to-work-for) \[Vault\] --- ![](https://abovethelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/11/Staci-Zaretsky.jpg)***[Staci Zaretsky](https://abovethelaw.com/author/staci-zaretsky/) is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to [email](mailto:staci@abovethelaw.com) her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/stacizaretsky.bsky.social), [X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/stacizaretsky), and [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@stacizaretsky), or connect with her on [Linke](https://www.linkedin.com/in/staci-zaretsky)*** The post [Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Law Firms To Work For In America (2027)](https://abovethelaw.com/2026/04/vault-quality-of-life-rankings-the-best-law-firms-to-work-for-in-america-2027/) appeared first on [Above the Law](https://abovethelaw.com/).