When will 2022 Vault ranking come out? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have any updates???????

Vault rankings literally do not matter at all, except to 1Ls going through OCI.

[ChickenSalad]

Well your wish came true, they’re out

[Anonymous User]

And as ever, they’re basically worthless to anyone other than law students. For those of you who aren’t working yet, the way Vault rankings work: a survey is sent out to everyone at the firm and then you rank every single firm based on “prestige.” Everyone basically ranks highly their own firm, firms their friends work at, and the typical slate of Cravaths and Wachtells, and then lowballs every other firm that hasn’t achieved that name brand status.

If you’re interested in real rankings based on something more than a glorified popularity contest, highly recommend looking at Chambers or, better yet, where associates at a particular firm end up. Do they make partner? Do they go in-house into desirable positions? Are they happy in their roles, or are they forced to bill upwards of 3,000 hours a year because they can’t escape the loop? These are things that are going to matter. My experience at a V-15 was infinitely shittier than at a V-50.

[LS989]

And as ever, they’re basically worthless to anyone other than law students. For those of you who aren’t working yet, the way Vault rankings work: a survey is sent out to everyone at the firm and then you rank every single firm based on “prestige.” Everyone basically ranks highly their own firm, firms their friends work at, and the typical slate of Cravaths and Wachtells, and then lowballs every other firm that hasn’t achieved that name brand status.

If you’re interested in real rankings based on something more than a glorified popularity contest, highly recommend looking at Chambers or, better yet, where associates at a particular firm end up. Do they make partner? Do they go in-house into desirable positions? Are they happy in their roles, or are they forced to bill upwards of 3,000 hours a year because they can’t escape the loop? These are things that are going to matter. My experience at a V-15 was infinitely shittier than at a V-50.

I'm not disagreeing with the spirit of this post, but doesn't vault not allow you to rank your own firm?

[Anonymous User]

In theory, no, but the lateral boom this year coincided with right when Vault surveys were sent out. Tin foil hat and all, but very likely skewed results. Associates changing firms were permitted to vote on firms they were lateraling to/just left depending on where they were in the process.

In regular years, the trend is to lowball competitor firms.

[ExpOriental]

And as ever, they’re basically worthless to anyone other than law students. For those of you who aren’t working yet, the way Vault rankings work: a survey is sent out to everyone at the firm and then you rank every single firm based on “prestige.” Everyone basically ranks highly their own firm, firms their friends work at, and the typical slate of Cravaths and Wachtells, and then lowballs every other firm that hasn’t achieved that name brand status.

If you’re interested in real rankings based on something more than a glorified popularity contest, highly recommend looking at Chambers or, better yet, where associates at a particular firm end up. Do they make partner? Do they go in-house into desirable positions? Are they happy in their roles, or are they forced to bill upwards of 3,000 hours a year because they can’t escape the loop? These are things that are going to matter. My experience at a V-15 was infinitely shittier than at a V-50.

I've been beating the drum of "Vault is stupid and shouldn't be paid any attention" louder than anyone, but you shouldn't be offering wisdom of certain of your most basic assumptions (being able to rank your own firm) are wrong.

Vault is both flawed as a premise and has a number of methodological problems that make it bad even at the thing it purports to do, but that isn't one of them.

[Anonymous User]

Argumentative as ever, TLS. See above re: lateral boom.