Ballard Spahr Named National Law Firm of the Year: Litigation - First Amendment

Ballard Spahr has received 25 National Tier 1 rankings in the 2020 Best Law Firms report, it was announced today. The firm was newly recognized in this tier for the Banking & Finance Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law categories, and earned the "Law Firm of the Year" recognition for Litigation – First Amendment. Only one law firm per legal practice earns that designation.

Ballard Spahr has added bench strength to its national Mergers and Acquisitions practice through strategic lateral hires as well as mergers, such as its 2018 combination with Minneapolis-based Lindquist & Vennum, a leader in middle-market transactions. The firm's Media and Entertainment Law Group is the preeminent practice of its kind in the country, made stronger though mergers with Levine Koch Sullivan & Schulz in 2017 and Leopold, Petrich & Smith, a Los Angeles boutique known for its work in script-vetting and rights clearance, one year later. Since 2017, revenue at Ballard Spahr has risen by more than 17 percent.

"These rankings show the depth and experience we have gained through our national growth," Firm Chair Mark Stewart said. "By executing our plan to expand thoughtfully and strategically, and keeping our focus on legal excellence and client value, we are serving more clients better than ever before."

Ballard Spahr received 186 total rankings across all Best Law Firms categories, including 84 Metropolitan Tier 1 rankings.

A firm must have at least one attorney who is recognized in the current edition of Best Lawyers in a Best Law Firms-ranked practice area or metro area. Recognition by Best Law Firms is based on a survey and law firm clients and professional references' feedback on a firm's "expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm."

The 25 areas in which Ballard Spahr received a Tier 1 Ranking are:

• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Copyright Law
• Corporate Law
• Criminal Defense: White Collar
• Employment Law - Management
• Environmental Law
• Labor Law - Management
• Land Use & Zoning Law
• Litigation - Banking & Finance
• Litigation - Bankruptcy
• Litigation - Environmental
• Litigation - First Amendment
• Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Litigation - Patent
• Litigation - Real Estate
• Media Law
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Patent Law
• Public Finance Law
• Real Estate Law
• Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Tax Law
• Trademark Law