Spanning four decades and thousands of technological advances that have changed the world and the way we operate, one thing has remained steadfast: the reason Best Lawyers was created and the methodology that has guided us through more than 30 editions of lawyer awards.
Software, social media and digital communication have extended our reach and streamlined our process, but through it all, we remain rooted in our values and continue to work hard each year to honor the prolific legal talent around the country.
Our Past
Reflecting on the history of Best Lawyers means honoring the vision of our founders and the leadership that has shaped the organization into a trusted resource for legal recognition worldwide.
The Founding Vision: A Peer-Reviewed Legacy
It’s hard to believe that it has already been more than 40 years since our founders, Steve Naifeh and the late Greg Smith, two Harvard Law School graduates, got together and built the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the global legal community, Best Lawyers®.
Could they have ever imagined their impact on so many people—attorneys worldwide, those clients who need a great attorney for their case and the many job opportunities at Best Lawyers?
Leading with Purpose and Innovation
One of those opportunities came in 2005 when Phillip Greer, a young professional from a small town outside of Augusta, Georgia, joined our team. Over the years, he wore many hats within the company—with each providing a unique opportunity to help grow and expand our capabilities. In 2013 he became President and in 2018 became CEO after Naifeh announced his retirement.
Over the last several years, he has led a growing team of employees across offices in Georgia, Florida and New York, as well as remotely—while managing relationships with thousands of lawyers and law firms spanning numerous countries worldwide.
But if you ask anyone here at Best Lawyers about our CEO, they’d tell you he has cultivated an authentic organization. One where he works alongside you to debug something on the website. Or have impromptu idea-sharing sessions while managing to have fun and laugh, despite being separated in home offices hundreds of miles away from one another.
Building a Culture of Collaboration and Growth
It’s this culture that has sustained us through the years and contributed to our continued growth. When we asked him what Best Lawyers has meant to him, he had this to say: “While I wasn’t part of the foundation of Best Lawyers in 1981, I was privileged to be a major key in its digital renaissance.
To create the core systems that we still use today, the systems that expanded our rankings around the globe, the systems that allow our research team to analyze over 15 million data points each year.
With each iterative expansion of Best Lawyers, my career followed a similar path. Starting as Lead Software Engineer and being promoted to Director of IT, Chief Operating Officer, President and now CEO. Best Lawyers for me holds a parallel of my professional life work alongside my professional career evolution.”
Our Today
Since 1981, we have produced more than 30 editions of The Best Lawyers in America®. As of the 2025 edition, we currently stand at 78,941 recognized lawyers. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America which recognizes associates and other lawyers who have been in private practice for less than 10 years, has also reached its fifth edition counting 26,581 exceptional associates practicing in the United States.
Global Expansion Built on Trust and Peer Review
Our expanding global footprint is yet another big development over the past few years, with a global presence steadily growing. According to Greer, “The continued success and reputation of Best Lawyers starts with our foundation.
From the beginning, our goal was to solve a problem—how does someone find the best lawyers for a particular matter, especially if that person is unfamiliar with the intricacy of the legal market? Trust and expertise are absolutely the keys to answering that question. To build trust, we knew that our research process had to be transparent and understandable.
To build expertise, we needed to go to the source. Our purely peer-review process still holds up today and we have been able to expand into over 76 countries based on the technology and research we have developed.”
Best Lawyers' Advisory Board
With us today is the Best Lawyers Board of Advisors, comprised of an esteemed group of distinguished legal professionals from around the world. Almost 400 organizations are currently represented, including leaders from many of the world's preeminent law firms and general counsel from Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies. It has truly been an honor and privilege to partner with our Advisory Board and we owe so much of our growth and success to their continued guidance and support.
Several members of our Advisory Board have been recognized by us since the very beginning. One such member, Donald C. Schiller of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP and recognized since 1983 in Family Law, had this to say about our 40-year history together:
“When Naifeh and Smith first published Best Lawyers, I was a relatively young aspiring lawyer trying to become a respected expert in the family law practice.
Then out of nowhere, I was informed that after research and peer review, I was selected as one of Illinois’ best lawyers in family law and that I would be listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
I think Best Lawyers was the first book of its kind. No one solicited me to pay anything to be recognized nor buy an ad to be included. I was deeply honored and felt my hard work since becoming a lawyer really paid off and that I achieved my goal of being a respected expert in the family law practice. My continuing to be listed year after year is very satisfying to me and encourages me that I have been on the right track and to keep going.”
When asked how being a member of the Best Lawyers Advisory Board and being listed in the original legal referral guide enhanced his career, he replied:
“There is no question that being one of the relatively few selected and my listing in the original legal referral guide enhanced my reputation considerably and likely made me a better lawyer. I was driven to prove my selection was no accident and that I was worthy of it and would continue to be. To add to that, being chosen to serve on the advisory board was a wonderful experience as well as a serious responsibility.
Meeting with and getting to know outstanding lawyers from throughout the country expanded my own fund of knowledge and was a wonderful networking opportunity with the best of the best. Remember, there were no virtual meetings back then.”
Our Future
Virtual meetings, new tech and adapting to the disruptive currents in our world are shaping the future at Best Lawyers. Through it all, we’ve maintained a strong growth trajectory. “I joined Best Lawyers over 18 years ago with the task of digitizing and expanding the capabilities of this company,” said Philip Greer.
The Future of Legal Excellence: Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms
“In those years, we have successfully grown into an international ranking house, producing not only peer-review lawyer rankings with the Best Lawyers awards, but also law firm rankings with the Best Law Firms editions.
I see Best Lawyers continuing to grow our research, rankings and content capabilities to further meet the needs of the legal, corporate and consumer sectors when it comes to trusted sources for professional services.”
“The future of Best Lawyers awards lies in innovation and deeper connections with the legal community. After more than 40 years of honoring professional excellence, we're committed to expanding our collection of industry data and delivering insights that empower professionals and clients alike. Our legacy inspires us to continuously evolve, ensuring we remain the trusted standard for recognizing legal talent worldwide.” added Elizabeth Petit, Director of Research & Development and Managing Editor.
Timeless Advice for Aspiring Lawyers
We can’t talk about our future without mentioning the new and aspiring attorneys. After all, “our” means these exceptional young professionals as well. So, we asked a few members of our Best Lawyers Advisory Board what advice they would give new lawyers who are just getting started in their careers and here is what they had to say.
“New lawyers need to understand that their law diploma is a license to learn,” said James Fox Miller of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and recognized since 1983 in Family Law. “Practicing law is a craft that can always be improved upon. Never stop learning. Never think you now know it all. I am 82, still practicing and strive each day to know more than I did the day before. Be ethical and honest. Always be prepared and always do your best.”
Emily A. Parker of Holland & Knight LLP and recognized since 1983 in Litigation and Controversy – Tax and Tax Law, recommends new lawyers “find an area of the law and people that you enjoy so that the many hours spent working are a pleasure rather than a burden.”
And so much about finding success as a lawyer is honing your skills the old-fashioned way—no shortcuts. “I tell new lawyers to watch their colleagues as well as opposing lawyers closely,” said Schiller. “Sit in courtrooms and watch hearings and trials. Learn to write well and concisely and not to be redundant and use big words just to show off. Copy the good things you see and avoid the bad. Lawyers need to achieve good results and be respected by the courts they appear before to be successful. You cannot fake it.”
We couldn’t agree more—and we look forward to the next 40 years of recognizing exceptionally gifted lawyers from all over the world. Cheers to you—and our past, present and future together.
