The Rubric
How Every Ranking Is Decided
Each firm receives a composite score from 0 to 100, built from four weighted pillars. The rubric is fixed in advance and applied identically to every firm in a category.
The Four Pillars
Verified Performance
Audited figures only: reported revenue, assets under management, placement volume, and publicly filed results. Claims we cannot verify against a primary source are excluded from scoring.
Client Standing
Retention rates, client tenure, re-engagement, and independent satisfaction research such as J.D. Power studies and client-service surveys.
Independent Recognition
Placement in third-party rankings we do not control: AmLaw 100, Vault rankings, Chambers, Gartner, Forrester, Everest Group, PRWeek, and equivalent bodies.
Public Record
Governance structure, operating longevity, regulatory standing, and the quality and candor of the firm's own disclosures.
Editorial Rules
No paid placement
Firms cannot pay to appear, to rank higher, or to influence scores. The Register carries no sponsored rankings.
Every claim is cited
Each piece of reasoning on a rankings page names the source it rests on. If a claim cannot be cited to a verifiable public record, it does not appear.
Corrections are public
Any firm or reader may file a correction with evidence. Verified corrections are applied and logged; the log is available on request.
Annual review cycle
Each category is re-verified annually against the most recent filings, surveys, and rankings. Scores change only when the evidence changes.
Sources We Rely On
SEC filings and annual reports · The American Lawyer AmLaw 100 · Vault rankings · Chambers USA · Hunt Scanlon · Forbes Best Firms lists · J.D. Power satisfaction studies · Barron's advisor rankings · Gartner Magic Quadrants · Forrester Waves · Everest Group PEAK Matrix · PRWeek Agency Business Report · Provoke Media Global Rankings · WARC effectiveness rankings · Effie Index · Inside Public Accounting Top 500 · PCAOB inspection reports · Audit Analytics · Staffing Industry Analysts.