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Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Midsize Law Firms To Work For (2026)

by | Jul 9, 2025 | above the law

Vault recently published the 2026 edition of all manner of its closely watched rankings for the largest law firms in the country, proving that money — in the form of Cravath’s perennially competitive pay scale — can buy prestige and (sometimes) happiness.

But what about the nation’s midsized and regional firms? Which ones are the best to work for, and will young associates be happy there as associates? Today, Vault released the latest edition of its list of the 25 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For.

Associates at firms with 200 attorneys or fewer were asked to rank their own law firms based on categories most relevant to their overall quality of life, including overall satisfaction; firm culture; hours; compensation; quality of work; informal training, mentorship, and sponsorship; business outlook; career outlook; associate/partner relations; leadership transparency; and formal training.

There was a great deal of movement in the Top 10 this year. Which firms made the cut? Without any further ado, here are the Top 10 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey for 2026:

1. Elsberg Baker & Maruri
2. Reid Collins & Tsai
2. Bookoff McAndrews
4. Harrity & Harrity
5. Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
6. Adam Leitman Bailey
7. Oliva Gibbs
8. Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
9. Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
10. Stotler Hayes

A strong performance for some of the most well-known midsize firms in the country. But which firms took the spotlight when it came to individual Quality of Life categories? In almost a clean sweep, Elsberg Baker & Maruri came in first place for nearly every single category. Not bad for a firm that’s a little more than a year old. Here are all of the No. 1 firms for 2026:

Congratulations to each of the firms that made the latest edition of the Vault Best Midsize Firms to Work For rankings, and a huge congratulations to Elsberg Baker & Maruri for doing so well in the rankings. How did your firm do? Email us, text us at (646) 820-8477, or tweet us @atlblog to let us know how you feel.

Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For (2026) [Vault]

Staci Zaretsky

Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Midsize Law Firms To Work For (2026) appeared first on Above the Law.

Vault recently published the 2026 edition of all manner of its closely watched rankings for the largest law firms in the country, proving that money — in the form of Cravath’s perennially competitive pay scale — can buy prestige and (sometimes) happiness.

But what about the nation’s midsized and regional firms? Which ones are the best to work for, and will young associates be happy there as associates? Today, Vault released the latest edition of its list of the 25 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For.

Associates at firms with 200 attorneys or fewer were asked to rank their own law firms based on categories most relevant to their overall quality of life, including overall satisfaction; firm culture; hours; compensation; quality of work; informal training, mentorship, and sponsorship; business outlook; career outlook; associate/partner relations; leadership transparency; and formal training.

There was a great deal of movement in the Top 10 this year. Which firms made the cut? Without any further ado, here are the Top 10 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For based on Vault’s Annual Associate Survey for 2026:

1. Elsberg Baker & Maruri
2. Reid Collins & Tsai
2. Bookoff McAndrews
4. Harrity & Harrity
5. Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
6. Adam Leitman Bailey
7. Oliva Gibbs
8. Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
9. Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
10. Stotler Hayes

A strong performance for some of the most well-known midsize firms in the country. But which firms took the spotlight when it came to individual Quality of Life categories? In almost a clean sweep, Elsberg Baker & Maruri came in first place for nearly every single category. Not bad for a firm that’s a little more than a year old. Here are all of the No. 1 firms for 2026:

Congratulations to each of the firms that made the latest edition of the Vault Best Midsize Firms to Work For rankings, and a huge congratulations to Elsberg Baker & Maruri for doing so well in the rankings. How did your firm do? Email us, text us at (646) 820-8477, or tweet us @atlblog to let us know how you feel.

Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For (2026) [Vault]

Staci Zaretsky

Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Vault ‘Quality Of Life’ Rankings: The Best Midsize Law Firms To Work For (2026) appeared first on Above the Law.