March 27, 2024
Joseph Sellers has been named to Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers. The attorneys selected are not just the finest in the field. They are, in many cases, change agents in every corner of the profession—whether through breakthrough deals, blockbuster cases, societal reform, creating precedent or changing lives through public interest work. All are lawyers whose expertise, passion and purpose set them apart. Some work for emerging businesses and small entrepreneurs; others are counsel to the biggest global brands on the planet, guiding and litigating in the tech space, intellectual property, crypto, employment or the impact of AI. And at a time when politics and the law have become inextricably linked, with landmark criminal and civil cases dominating the national discourse, many of our top attorneys have been pivotal, representing elected officials, governments, defendants, voters—on all sides of the spectrum.
Read more about the Inaugural List of America’s Top 200 Lawyers.
Methodology
To create our inaugural list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers, Forbes assembled an editorial team with broad experience in law practice, coverage of legal news, and knowledge of the legal marketplace. The team then identified a wide pool of eligible candidates through hundreds of interviews with industry insiders, outside nominations, editorial research, and an independent, five-person advisory board of experts. To qualify for consideration, lawyers were required to be active and licensed—and thousands of attorneys from a variety of backgrounds, specializations and jurisdictions were ultimately considered.
In-depth research into each candidate yielded evaluations on a variety of criteria, including reputation, industry honors, influence on the legal landscape, advocacy performance, commitment to diversity, and pro bono work. Although a lawyer’s lifetime achievements were considered, emphasis was placed on their most recent accomplishments. Candidates were then rated in seven weighted categories.
The result is a collection of elite lawyers who have been involved in the most consequential recent cases, deals or legal trends. Others have been deemed, by peers and clients, superlative in their practice area. Some boast immediate name recognition; others are making their mark less publicly. But they all share reputations for integrity, records of excellence—and Forbes’ recognition as the best in the business.