The 2026 edition of Best Lawyers® introduces new honorees across Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria, spotlighting lawyers recognized by their peers for exceptional performance across legal markets.
These honors signal growing engagement throughout Central and Western Europe and maintain a strong emphasis on outstanding talent.
Following recent launches in the Asia-Pacific region, these announcements further extend the Best Lawyers network’s global reach.
How Recognition Is Earned
Distinction in the Best Lawyers awards is determined through our exclusive Purely Peer Review® methodology, a transparent, research-driven process grounded in peer evaluation. Recognized lawyers in the same practice area and region provide confidential feedback on nominees.
They assess legal ability, ethics and peer standing. Those who consistently earn the respect of their peers are included in the awards, with one individual in each location and specialty receiving the additional distinction of “Lawyer of the Year” for the highest overall ratings.
Overview of the 2026 The Best Lawyers in Germany™
Building on a 16-year partnership with Handelsblatt, Germany’s foremost business and financial news source, Best Lawyers continues to broaden its reach across the legal community.
The 17th edition of The Best Lawyers in Germany recognized 6,952 lawyers across 15 federal states, representing the top 4% of the profession. Of those selected, 718 are first-time awardees. In addition, 231 lawyers earned the “Lawyer of the Year” distinction.
Germany’s legal community remains concentrated in key regions. Nordrhein-Westfalen (1,564), Hessen (1,500) and Bayern (1,445) lead in the awards, followed by Berlin (989) and Hamburg (910).
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Germany™ Continues to Gain Momentum
Now in its fifth year, 1,998 early-career lawyers were honored across 36 practice areas and 11 geographic regions, with 495 awarded for the first time. 68 firms were represented solely by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recipients demonstrating the award’s expanding relevance as a marker of emerging legal talent.
Record Participation in 2026 for Germany
This edition saw the highest voter engagement in Germany to date. The participation rate rose to 46.02%. Voters submitted 359,627 evaluations, bringing the total to more than 1.6 million used to determine the results. In a sector where engagement and recognition matter, such a significant turnout confirms Best Lawyers’ standing as a trusted benchmark for legal excellence in Germany.
The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch category also saw record growth, with 64.16% of eligible voters participating. Voters submitted 227,501 evaluations, bringing the total to more than 640,000 evaluations used to determine this year’s results.
Corporate and M&A Law Continues to Lead in Germany
Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law continue to anchor the current awards, followed by Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment and Litigation. These practice areas have drawn strong recognition, reflecting their sustained importance in the German legal sector.
The market outlook remains complex for Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law in Germany. Since peaking in 2021, deal activity has declined, in part due to political uncertainty and trends toward deglobalization.
Regulatory changes and greater state involvement slowed mergers and acquisitions in 2024 and drove up financing costs, creating challenges for private equity and making leveraged buyouts more difficult.
Even so, the technology and life sciences sectors continue to attract interest and many established Mittelstand businesses are becoming more open to private equity as they prepare for leadership transitions. Despite current pressures, lawyers in these areas remain well positioned to advise clients.
See the featured lawyers on our Find a Lawyer in Germany page.
2026 Results from The Best Lawyers in France™
The 16th issue of The Best Lawyers in France recognizes 3,732 lawyers, representing the top 5.7% of the legal profession. Among those honored, 377 were first-time awardees. 80 recipients also earned “Lawyer of the Year” titles, reflecting top distinction within their practice areas and cities.
France’s legal talent remains centered in major cities. Paris leads with 3,379 honorees, followed by Lyon and Marseille. These cities continue to influence legal practice nationwide.
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in France™ Marks Five Years
This release recognized 903 early-career lawyers across 36 practice areas and six geographic regions. Among them, 285 are first-time awardees. 72 law firms earned honors solely through their Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch honorees, highlighting the award’s growing role.
Voter Engagement Increases in France
The 2026 release of The Best Lawyers in France achieved a record 43.53% voter participation rate, with 1,484 legal professionals casting ballots. This represents a 16% increase in voter participation compared to the previous year.
The rising voter turnout underscores the program’s credibility, showing that a growing number of lawyers trust Best Lawyers as a platform for recognizing and celebrating top legal talent.
Contributors provided 163,811 evaluations, adding a cumulative total of 751,212 historical assessments that informed this year’s selections.
Core Practice Areas Draw Strong Distinction
Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions remain key areas in the French legal space. Tax, Labor and Employment and Litigation also ranked among the most awarded practices. The concentration reflects consistent demand across advisory and contentious work in the French market.
Corporate lawyers are preparing for the implications of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which must be implemented into French law by July 2026.
The directive applies exclusively to large, multimillion-dollar companies and introduces binding obligations to monitor and address human rights and environmental risks across operations, subsidiaries and supply chains.
As these requirements take shape, they are expected to heighten the need for counsel equipped to manage complex compliance, governance and reporting frameworks.
Discover the top 5.7% of legal professionals by visiting our Find a Lawyer in France page.
Findings from the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Switzerland ™
The 16th edition of The Best Lawyers in Switzerland honored 731 lawyers, representing the top 7.4% of legal professionals across the country. Of those selected, 24 are first-time awardees. The title “Lawyer of the Year” was awarded to 60 lawyers based on leading peer evaluations.
Zürich continues to lead with 426 recognized lawyers, followed by Geneva, Basel, Lausanne and Berne, illustrating their continued importance in Swiss legal practice.
Growing Participation in Switzerland
The Best Lawyers in Switzerland received 13,128 evaluations from voters. These contributions build on a total of 112,262 historical evaluations used to determine the awards. This data underscores active involvement from the Swiss legal community in recognizing excellence.
Corporate, Litigation and M&A Stand Out in Switzerland, as M&A Trends Gain Attention
Corporate Law leads this year’s results in Switzerland, followed by Litigation and Mergers and Acquisitions. Banking and Finance and Tax also remain among the most-recognized practice areas.
While Mergers and Acquisitions ranks third by volume, it stands out as a focal point for 2025 due to the scale, complexity and strategic significance of recent transactions.
Although the number of transactions has slowed in recent years, overall deal value is climbing, rising from an estimated $72.2 billion in 2023 to $115.1 billion in 2024.
That shift reflects a trend toward larger, more complex transactions that require longer timelines and deeper due diligence.
The revised Swiss Code of Obligations, effective since 2023, has introduced new regulatory considerations, particularly for cross-border transactions. Corporate lawyers are also advising on evolving ESG expectations across Europe, which continue to shape deal strategy and risk assessment. With economic uncertainty and rapid developments in AI, the M&A environment remains active and strategically demanding.
Browse the top 7.4% of legal professionals featured on our Find a Lawyer in Switzerland page.
Key Data from the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Austria™
Now in its 16th year, the awards spotlight lawyers from five major regions. Vienna remained the center of Austria’s legal community, with 484 awarded lawyers. Smaller concentrations followed in Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Linz.
This year, 502 individuals were honored, representing 7.9% of the national legal market. An additional 33 lawyers received “Lawyer of the Year” distinction.
Rising Engagement in Austria
The latest edition of The Best Lawyers in Austria recorded its highest voter turnout to date. These voters submitted 10,376 evaluations this cycle, contributing to a total of 58,797 historical evaluations used to determine this year’s honorees.
Corporate Law Recognition Surges Following Structural Legal Changes
Corporate Law remains a primary focus in Austria’s 2026 results. Followed by Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking and Finance, Litigation and Real Estate, reflecting core sectors where legal expertise is in demand.
The strength of Corporate Law this year reflects heightened interest in the field, supported by recent updates to Austrian corporate legislation.
Among them, the new “Flexible Company” structure offers greater freedom in shareholding, governance and capital structuring. These features are intended to attract startups and high-growth businesses.
Legislation such as the Corporate Digitalisation Act 2023 introduces stricter executive accountability. The Virtual Shareholder Meeting Act also formalizes virtual or hybrid shareholder meetings. Both measures point toward a more modern business climate.
View the featured professionals on our Find a Lawyer in Austria page.
Honoring Legal Achievement on a Global Scale
Rooted in decades of peer-driven distinction, the 2026 honors in Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria highlight sustained legal excellence and cross-border leadership. As these markets continue to shape regulatory and economic developments, Best Lawyers remains a reliable resource for showcasing distinguished counsel and strengthening professional connections worldwide.
With a global network spanning more than 76 countries, Best Lawyers connects clients and legal professionals through data-informed visibility. The network plays a central role in facilitating international visibility and referral opportunities. Its foundation in Purely Peer Review ensures that recognition reflects credibility across borders, helping legal professionals maintain relevance in a competitive global arena.
For clients and practitioners alike, our network provides context, trust and clarity in identifying top legal talent. Explore leading legal professionals in each country through our Find a Lawyer page.
