Smith Moore Leatherwood Announces Top Rankings in U.S. News and Best Lawyers® 'Best Law Firms' Survey

November 2, 2011

GREENVILLE, SC – November 2, 2011 – U.S. News and Best Lawyers® ranked Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP among the nation’s best for legal services once again in its second annual “Best Law Firms” survey. The firm was nationally recognized for Land Use & Zoning Law (Tier 2) in the 2011-2012 rankings, and five of the firm’s seven offices in the Carolinas and Georgia were recognized in the survey’s metropolitan rankings.

“This recognition, especially the receipt of a national ranking, is an honor for our firm,” said Rob Marcus, chairman of the firm’s Management Committee. “These rankings reflect our commitment to the pursuit of excellence as individual attorneys, and as a firm.”

The firm earned Tier 1 rankings across 36 practice areas in its Atlanta, Ga.; Greensboro, N.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Greenville, S.C. offices. Tier 2 rankings were awarded for 19 practice areas in the Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Greensboro, Raleigh and Greenville offices. The Greensboro office also received a Tier 3 ranking in one additional practice area.

The national and metropolitan first-tier rankings are featured in the “Best Law Firms” standalone publication; the rankings in their entirety are posted in a special section on the U.S. News & World Report’s website. The three-tiered rankings are based on client and lawyer evaluations, peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field and the review of additional information provided by law firms as part of a formal submission process. The “Best Law Firms” rankings incorporate the 3.9 million evaluations of 41,284 individual lawyers collected by Best Lawyers® in its most recent annual survey. To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer who is included in “Best Lawyers” as part of the annual peer review assessment; 63 Smith Moore Leatherwood attorneys were named “Best Lawyers” in the 2012 ranking.

For a full list of Smith Moore Leatherwood’s rankings, please see below:

National Rankings

Tier 2

  • Land Use & Zoning Law

Metropolitan Rankings

Atlanta, Ga.
Tier 1

  • Insurance Law

Tier 2

  • Health Care Law


Charlotte, N.C.
Tier 2

  • Antitrust Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation – Antitrust
  • Litigation – Eminent Domain & Condemnation
  • Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants

Greensboro, N.C.
Tier 1

  • Antitrust Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Employment Law – Management
  • Environmental Law
  • Family Law
  • Health Care Law
  • Immigration Law
  • International Trade and Finance Law
  • Labor Law – Management
  • Land Use & Zoning Law
  • Litigation – Antitrust
  • Litigation – Eminent Domain & Condemnation
  • Litigation – First Amendment
  • Litigation – Labor & Employment
  • Litigation – Land Use & Zoning
  • Non-Profit/Charities Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
  • Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
  • Real Estate Law
  • Securities/Capital Markets Law
  • Tax Law
  • Trusts & Estates Law
  • Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers

Tier 2

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Litigation – Banking & Finance
  • Litigation – Construction
  • Litigation – Environmental
  • Litigation – Intellectual Property
  • Litigation – Municipal
  • Litigation – Patent
  • Patent Law

Tier 3

  • Trademark Law 


Greenville, S.C.
Tier 1

  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Franchise Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Land Use & Zoning Law
  • Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
  • Litigation – Banking & Finance
  • Litigation – Real Estate
  • Mergers & Acquisitions Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
  • Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law

Trusts & Estates Law
Tier 2

  • Litigation – Bankruptcy
  • Litigation – Construction

Raleigh, N.C.
Tier 1

  • Appellate Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Land Use & Zoning Law
  • Litigation – Land Use & Zoning
  • Litigation – Real Estate

Tier 2

  • Arbitration
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Employment Law – Management
  • Labor Law – Management
  • Litigation – Eminent Domain & Condemnation
  • Litigation – Intellectual Property
  • Real Estate Law


About Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP

Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP manages complex legal issues for regional, national and international clients.  With seven offices and more than 170 attorneys across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, the firm’s practices are centered in the areas of litigation, health care, labor and employment, real estate and corporate law.  For more information about the firm and its attorneys, visit www.smithmoorelaw.com