Best Law Firms in the United States for Economic Development Law

Harris Beach Murtha formed in 2025 via the combination of Harris Beach PLLC and Murtha Cullina LLP. A forward-thinking and innovative partnership with the benefit of more than 250 years of combined history, Harris Beach Murtha’s New York roots reach back to 1856, and the firm has had ties to New England since 1936. Harris Beach and Murtha Cullina were separately among the country’s top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal.

Harris Beach Murtha and its subsidiaries have a strong Northeast presence, with a global reach, and represent clients locally, regionally and nationally. Clients include Fortune 100 corporations, privately held companies, emerging businesses, public sector entities, tax-exempt organizations and individuals. The firm’s practice areas and industries served span appellate law, business litigation, commercial real estate, construction, corporate, environmental, energy, financial institutions, financial restructuring, government compliance and investigations, health care, immigration, intellectual property, labor and employment, mass torts, medical and life sciences, political law, product liability, public finance, tax, and trusts and estates. 

Harris Beach Murtha is the exclusive member firm in Connecticut for Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent firms with in-depth experience in more than 125 countries worldwide. As part of the Lex Mundi global network, Harris Beach Murtha can provide clients with preferred access to more than 22,000 lawyers around the world – all from a single point of contact. Lex Mundi allows Harris Beach Murtha to seamlessly handle clients’ most challenging cross-border transactions and disputes. 

The firm’s lawyers and consultants practice from offices throughout Connecticut in Bantam, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford; New York state in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Ithaca, Niagara Falls, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Long Island and White Plains, as well as in Boston, Massachusetts and Newark, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.harrisbeachmurtha.com.

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. brings innovative, effective, and practical solutions to the complex problems clients face in today’s interwoven and evolving arenas of law, commerce, technology, insurance, education, healthcare, government, and public relations.

Excellent, efficient legal service requires an in-depth knowledge of our clients’ businesses and the challenges they face in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace. With attorneys experienced in a full range of practice areas, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd attorneys work as a member of our clients’ team, providing advice and counsel for a broad range of matters, including general operations, regulatory compliance, corporate organization and governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities, taxation, employment, and litigation.

Admissions include state and federal courts in South Carolina, North Carolina, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas,  including the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Backed by more than a century of commitment to the businesses it serves, the firm provides clients with the highest level of advice, counsel, and representation covering a diverse array of matters in regional, national, and international settings.

Distinguished in the legal community, firm attorneys have held leadership positions within state and national organizations such as past presidents of the South Carolina Bar, the South Carolina Bar Foundation, and the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association; including serving as board members of the American College of Bond Counsel and past president of the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL).

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. has more than 110 attorneys and offices located in Charleston, Columbia, Florence, and Greenville, South Carolina, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jones Walker LLP is among the largest 145 law firms in the United States. With offices in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, and Texas, we serve local, regional, national, and international business interests. The firm is committed to providing a comprehensive range of legal services to major multinational public and private corporations, Fortune® 500 companies, money center banks, worldwide insurers, and emerging companies doing business in the United States and abroad.

Since 2012, The BTI Consulting Group has named Jones Walker to its Client Service A-Team, which identifies the top client service firms in the nation. The firm has previously been named to both the A-Team and BTI's Client Service 30, a list of top 30 firms in the country for dedication to client service. Clients have recognized Jones Walker for consistent excellence in areas such as client focus, anticipating the client's needs, and understanding the client's business.

At Taft, we work together across offices and practice areas to help clients address legal and business challenges efficiently and strategically. Our attorneys focus on practical solutions designed to support clients’ goals, whether they are managing day-to-day operations, navigating complex transactions, or resolving disputes.

With more than 1,100 attorneys, Taft serves clients from offices in Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Delaware, Ohio; Aspen, Denver, and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Detroit and Southfield, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Indianapolis, Indiana; Covington, Kentucky; Phoenix, Arizona; Stuart and West Palm Beach, Florida; and Washington, D.C.

Taft represents individuals, privately held businesses, public companies, nonprofits, and institutions across established and emerging industries throughout the United States and internationally.

The firm advises clients in a broad range of practice areas, including:

• Business
• Bankruptcy and Restructuring
• Employment and Labor Relations
• Energy
• Environmental
• Health Care
• Intellectual Property
• Lending and Finance
• Litigation
• Private Client
• Real Estate
• Tax

Since 1885, Taft has remained focused on delivering responsive legal counsel and client service tailored to the needs of businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Affiliated Businesses

Taft attorneys regularly collaborate with affiliated businesses to provide clients with additional consulting and advisory services in a variety of industries and operational areas. These affiliated businesses include:

• Ginovus
• Taft Advisors LLC
• Taft Business Consulting
• Taft Infrastructure Advisors

Through these organizations, clients have access to consulting services related to planning, forecasting, government relations, infrastructure, and public policy matters.

Awards and Honors

Taft and its attorneys have received recognition from legal industry publications and ranking organizations, including:

Main Areas of Practice:

Business: Taft represents public, private, and nonprofit clients in industries including banking, construction, finance, health care, insurance, manufacturing, private equity, real estate, retail, transportation, and utilities. The firm advises clients ranging from emerging businesses to Fortune 500 companies on local, national, and cross-border matters.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring: The firm represents debtors, lenders, creditors’ committees, trustees, suppliers, developers, landlords, buyers, sellers, and other parties in restructuring matters, insolvency proceedings, transactions, and related litigation across multiple industries.

Employment and Labor Relations: Taft advises employers on labor and employment matters, including workplace policies, litigation, labor relations, employee benefits and ERISA compliance, workplace safety, immigration matters, and workers’ compensation issues.

Energy: The firm represents energy providers, utilities, developers, independent power producers, transmission companies, and other participants in the energy sector on regulatory, transactional, and operational matters.

Environmental: Taft handles environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, enforcement matters, environmental due diligence, toxic tort claims, Superfund matters, Brownfields redevelopment, and administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies.

Health Care: The firm advises hospitals, physicians, health systems, research institutions, and medical device, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical companies on business, regulatory, reimbursement, litigation, employment, and compliance matters.

Intellectual Property: Taft counsels clients on patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, and intellectual property litigation, including matters involving pharmaceuticals, life sciences, software, and internet-related technologies.

Lending and Finance: The firm represents lenders and borrowers in a wide range of financing transactions, including asset-based lending, acquisition finance, mezzanine financing, real estate finance, equipment leasing, regulatory compliance, and consumer financial services matters.

Litigation: Taft represents clients in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, and regulatory matters involving commercial disputes, antitrust, bankruptcy, construction, environmental claims, intellectual property, securities, product liability, white collar defense, and other complex litigation matters.

Private Client: The firm advises individuals, families, and business owners on estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, succession planning, trusts and estates, charitable planning, and tax-related matters.

Real Estate: Taft represents clients in matters involving acquisitions, dispositions, financing, leasing, development, land use, construction, property management, and real estate litigation.

Tax: The firm advises corporations, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, joint ventures, and individuals on tax planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, mergers and acquisitions, international tax matters, state and local taxation, and tax controversy matters.