Best Law Firms in Germany
Practice Areas
Cities
About the 2026 edition
The 2026 rankings showcase 1,243 firms distinguished for their professional excellence across various practice areas and jurisdictions. If you are seeking assistance with specific legal needs, search our Best Law Firms - Germany rankings to help identify the best legal representation for your needs.
The Best Law Firms – Germany rankings, announced in partnership with Handelsblatt on Sept. 25, 2025, spotlight only the top 2% of firms in the market, emphasizing their professional excellence. This distinction positions our awards as the most exclusive and prestigious in the country.
We have a 17-year history of recognizing top individual lawyers in Germany and we have been awarding firms in the United States for more than 15 years. Leveraging our extensive market experience and a rigorous research process for firm awards, we are honored to present our inaugural Best Law Firms awards in Germany. Clients rely on these rankings when seeking firms to address their specific needs.
Legal News from Germany
Highlights
Our research starts by evaluating firms within their practice areas and comparing them to local competitors in their respective regions. For Germany, we researched 60 practice areas and 12 geographic jurisdictions: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Wesfalan, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen and Schleswig-Holstein. Through our localized research, we awarded 5,928 regional rankings.
Once the regional awards were determined, we assessed firms with a national footprint across 23 practice areas. Of the eligible firms in Germany, 383 are also highlighted for their national coverage, servicing clients in multiple locations. Additionally, we have chosen the winners for our "Law Firm of the Year" designations. These awards recognize one exceptional firm for their professional excellence amongst all others in a specific practice area. Eighteen firms have received this pinnacle of honors.
Research Methodology
Using the well-established Best Law Firms research methodology, developed in 2009 and continuously improved over the past 15 years, we examined feedback from clients, lawyers and firm leaders, along with firm-supplied data.
Firms become eligible for Best Law Firms consideration after their lawyers receive individual recognition in The Best Lawyers in Germany™. Comprehensive information about our research process can be found in the Methodology section.
In the second year, we saw remarkable participation from firms, clients and lawyers in our research process.
A Note from the Vice President of Research and Development
This year, 10,000 clients were surveyed on their experiences with law firm practice groups and more than 6,000 lawyers were consulted on their experiences with competitor firms. Additionally, 60 managing partners and practice group leaders were interviewed, bringing both client perspectives and professional expertise into our research. Together, these voices identified the top legal talent across practice areas and jurisdictions. What sets Best Law Firms apart? Recognition that reflects both the profession and the clients they serve. That means when clients choose a Best Law Firms honoree, they can be confident their case is in the most capable hands.
Upcoming Research
We will begin researching for our third edition Best Law Firms – Germany awards in early 2026. Our global research timelines are available online. To receive a research submission packet, contact us at bestlawfirms@bestlawyers.com.
