RANKINGS / AUSTRALIA
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Best Law Firms - Australia. We rank firms' excellence by local region, practice and country. The geography may be new, but our research process has been vetted and endorsed for 15 years by the industry.
About the 2025 edition
Our awards spotlight 477 firms for professional excellence by practice area and jurisdiction. Search Australia’s best law firms today to find an organization to assist you with specific legal needs.
The Best Law Firms – Australia publication was distributed in partnership with The Australian on May 31, 2024. It ranks only the very best – 2% of firms in the market are awarded for professional excellence. This makes our awards the most exclusive and prestigious in the country.
We have been recognizing top individual lawyers in Australia for almost 20 years. Additionally, we have been awarding firms in the US for 15 years. Through the combination of experience in market with an established research process for firm awards, we are excited to present our first Best Law Firms awards in Australia. Clients usethese rankings in their search for firms to meet their specific needs.
Read our publication
Highlights
Our research process begins by analyzing firms by practice area in their geographic locations against local competitors. For Australia, we researched 83 practice areas and 8 geographic jurisdictions: Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Tasmania. Through our localized research, we awarded 4,114 regional rankings.
After determining our regional awards, we evaluated firms with a national presence in 26 national practice areas. Of the eligible firms, 85 in Australia are also highlighted for their national coverage, servicing clients in multiple locations. Additionally, we have chosen the winners for our “Law Firm of the Year” designations. These awards recognize one exceptional firm for their professional excellence amongst all others in a specific practice area. Twenty firms have received this pinnacle of honors.
"Best Law Firms is a trusted resource when considering new appointments."
Kate Hasbani - Special Counsel, WeWork
Practice Areas
Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Asset Finance Law
Aviation Law
Banking and Finance Law
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Biotechnology Law
Class Action Litigation
Climate Change Law
Commercial Law
Competition Law
Constitutional Law
Construction / Infrastructure Law
Corporate / Governance Practice
Corporate Law
Criminal Defence
Debt Capital Markets Law
Defamation and Media Law
Derivatives
Distressed Investing and Debt Trading Practice
Education Law
Employee Benefits Law
Energy Law
Entertainment Law
Equipment Finance Law
Equity Capital Markets Law
Family Law
Family Law Mediation
Financial Institutions
Franchise Law
Funds Management
Government Practice
Health and Aged Care Law
Hospitality and Tourism Law
Human Rights Law
Immigration Law
Information Technology Law
Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Insurance Law
Intellectual Property Law
International Arbitration
Investment Funds
Investment Law
Labour and Employment Law
Land Use and Zoning Law
Leasing Law
Legal Malpractice Litigation
Leveraged Buyouts
Life Sciences Practice
Litigation
Medical Negligence
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Mining Law
Native Title Law
Natural Resources Law
Non-Profit / Charities Law
Occupational Health and Safety Law
Oil and Gas Law
Outsourcing Law
Personal Injury Litigation
Planning and Environmental Law
Privacy and Data Security Law
Private Equity Law
Product Liability Litigation
Professional Malpractice Litigation
Project Finance and Development Practice
Public Law
Real Property Law
Regulatory Practice
Retirement Villages and Senior Living Law
Shipping and Maritime Law
Sports Law
Structured Finance Law
Superannuation Law
Tax Law
Telecommunications Law
Trade Law
Transportation Law
Trusts and Estates
Venture Capital Law
Water Law
Wealth Management / Succession Planning Practice
Cities
Adelaide
Balmain
Barton
Baulkham Hills
Bowen Hills
Bowral
Brisbane
Broadmeadows
Brunswick
Brunswick East
Camberwell
Canberra
Canterbury
Carlton
Carrara
Castlecrag
Claremont
Clayfield
Collingwood
Coomera
Cottlesloe
Darwin
East Perth
East Sydney
Fortitude Valley
Fremantle
Geelong
Gold Coast
Hawthorn
Hobart
Kedron
Kensington
Lindfield
Manning
Margaret River
Maroochydore
McMahons Point
Melbourne
Millers Point
Milton
Mooloolaba
Moonee Ponds
Mount Martha
Mount Waverley
Muswellbrook
Myrtle Bank
Newcastle
Newstead
Newtown
North Melbourne
North Sydney
Parramatta
Perth
Randwick
Richmond
South Perth
Southport
Spring Hill
Springfield
Subiaco
Sydney
Tasmania
Toowong
Toowoomba
Torrens Park
Unley
Victoria
Wayville
Wembley Downs
West Perth
Wollongong
Woodend
Yarraville
Yeronga
"If I need a lawyer, Best Lawyers is always my starting place. They are reliable and trustworthy."
Luana Melis - General Counsel, Time & Place
Research Methodology
Relying on the industry-vetted Best Law Firms research methodology, established in 2009 and refined over 15 years, we analyzed the feedback of clients, lawyers and firm leaders, along with firmographic details supplied by the firms themselves. Firms are eligible for Best Law Firms consideration after receiving individual professional recognition in The Best Lawyers in Australia. The full details on our research process are available in our Methodology section.
For the inaugural year, we received staggering participation from firms, clients and lawyers in our research process.
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A Note from the Director of Research and Development
In 2023, our team embarked on a comprehensive endeavor to identify and recognize the top-performing law firms across Australia. This initiative stems from our commitment to providing valuable insights to legal professionals, clients and stakeholders, thereby fostering excellence and transparency within the legal industry. We had years of experience preparing us for this project, and I had full confidence in our team’s ability to bring our established methodology of awarding firms to a new region.
Our research process is anchored in rigorous evaluation criteria, encompassing various facets and experiences with a firm such as client satisfaction, legal expertise, innovation and peer review. Using quantitative and qualitative data analysis, we offer a holistic assessment that truly reflects the caliber and achievements of each firm. The response during our research phase from the legal community was overwhelming given this was the first year we set forth to collect data on a firm level. The enthusiastic participation by clients, lawyers, leadership and marketing teams underscores the significance of this initiative and the value it holds for both the legal profession and consumers of legal services.
I especially want to thank our research, content and software development teams for their long nights and dedication in preparing us for this day.
Elizabeth Petit
Director of Research & Development and Managing Editor
"Your organization’s activities, such as these surveys, are of great value to individuals and corporations to help identify the most proficient lawyers/law firms."
Ashish Mitra - CEO and Chief Technology Officer, Endoluminal Sciences
Upcoming Research
We will begin researching for our second edition Best Law Firms – Australia awards later this year. Our global research timelines are available online. To receive a research submission packet, contact us at bestlawfirms@bestlawyers.com.
Valerie Smith
Best Law Firms Research Manager