Lists of "the best" law firms are inherently imperfect. Quality varies by practice area, by office, and by individual team. The list below is not a ranking of legal ability and should not be read as one. It is a market-informed survey of ten firms that, based on size, revenue, market share, and reputation among Florida general counsel and managing partners, consistently sit at the center of the state's legal economy. They are presented in no particular order.
1. Greenberg Traurig
Founded in Miami and now one of the largest firms in the United States, Greenberg Traurig remains a Florida institution with global reach. Its real estate, litigation, and corporate practices are among the deepest in the state.
2. Holland & Knight
With strong Tampa and Orlando roots and a broad national footprint, Holland & Knight is a powerhouse across public finance, real estate, litigation, and regulatory work.
3. Akerman
One of the largest Florida-based firms, Akerman is known for a formidable real estate practice and a litigation bench that spans every major market in the state.
4. Carlton Fields
A Tampa-founded firm with a national reputation for insurance, financial services litigation, and class action defense. Its appellate and complex commercial litigation practices are widely respected.
5. Gunster
Frequently called "Florida's law firm," Gunster is purely Florida-focused, with deep corporate, real estate, private wealth, and government affairs practices across the state.
6. Shutts & Bowen
One of the oldest firms in Florida, Shutts & Bowen maintains a strong presence in Miami and across the state in real estate, financial services, and litigation.
7. GrayRobinson
A Florida-centric firm with notable strength in government affairs, land use, and a statewide office network reaching markets that national firms often overlook.
8. Stearns Weaver Miller
A respected Florida firm with particular depth in land use and zoning, real estate, bankruptcy, and labor and employment, concentrated in the state's major metros.
9. Foley & Lardner
A national firm with significant and growing Florida operations, strong across health care, corporate, and litigation, and increasingly active in the Miami and Orlando markets.
10. Bilzin Sumberg
A Miami boutique-scale powerhouse with an outsized reputation in real estate development, land use, and complex transactions — a reminder that prestige in Florida is not solely a function of size.
A firm's place on a list like this tells you very little about whether it is the right home for your specific practice. The most valuable question is not "is this a top firm?" but "is my work central to what this firm is trying to build?"
How to Use a List Like This
Rankings are a starting point for orientation, not a substitute for due diligence. The Walker Group advises candidates to look past the marquee name and examine the specific practice group they would join: its leadership, its client base, its origination culture, and its trajectory. A mid-sized firm where you would be a strategic priority frequently offers a better career than a marquee firm where your practice is an afterthought. We help candidates make that assessment with information that is rarely visible from the outside.
