Quinn Emanuel Named Most Feared Law Firm Again. Here’s What That Means.
For the fifth year in a row, Quinn Emanuel has been named the Most Feared law firm by BTI Consulting Group, which bases its ranking on unfiltered feedback from senior players in the marketplace. The research is independent and unbiased – no law firm or organization other than BTI sponsors the study, which drew on more than 350 in-depth surveys this year.
But what does it mean, exactly, to be the Most Feared?
“We are feared – by the parties and law firms we confront around the world as we fight for our clients, in courts and across negotiating tables,” Michael Carlinsky, Global Co-Managing Partner and Head of Complex Litigation, explains. “The ‘QE Effect’ shifts the balance of power the minute Quinn Emanuel is on the case, because our adversaries know we’re tireless and strategic and ready for battle – and trial – from day one.”
Mike is just as clear about what it doesn’t mean. There is no fear within the firm, he observes – and that’s what makes us so formidable in court.
“Everyone at the firm, from the most senior partner to the most junior associate, shares an intense desire to win, while adhering to the highest ethical standards,” he says. “The youngest and newest associate knows they can speak up and propose a strategy to the most accomplished partners, because we bring them into those discussions from the day they arrive at the firm.”
For its annual ranking, BTI surveys legal decision-makers – including heads of litigation, chief and VP-level counsel – at organizations with $1 billion or more in revenue in the industries with the greatest legal spend. It tracks data from more than 30,000 corporate counsel client interviews conducted over a quarter century.
Corporate counsel describe today’s litigation environment as “aggressive,” “chaotic” and “inventive,” according to BTI. The Most Feared are “the firms clients least want to face across the table in litigation,” because they “rewrite the rules of engagement.”
While this is the fifth consecutive year Quinn Emanuel has litigated its way to the pinnacle of Most Feared, we’ve been recognized as Most Feared in seven of the eight years since BTI started separating the single Most Feared firm from the rest of the pack. It’s our 13th year in the top tier since 2011.
“We consider it an honor and a privilege to be recognized so consistently for our tenacity, passion and strategic creativity, established over a long and successful track record,” Mike says.
He makes another important distinction.
“It's not about a bunch of imperious lawyers throwing their weight around in a courtroom,” he says. “It's about a culture of fearless, creative and tireless advocacy for our clients that starts deep inside the firm, where respect and teamwork are cherished, and where the quality of your thinking, your integrity as a lawyer and a person, and your dedication to the client are prized.”
That’s why we love working here.
And we’ll take Most Feared in the bargain.