We are pleased to announce that the 2026 Benchmark 40 and Under US edition is officially live.
Every year, Benchmark Litigation sets out to identify the best and brightest litigators across the US. While it is no easy task selecting from such a wide array of accomplished young lawyers, we are excited to reveal our list of the top emerging talent in litigation.
The 2026 edition is the most comprehensive yet, with 172 new additions and 615 lawyers featured overall. This is a 27% increase from the total 485 lawyers in 2025, demonstrating the 40 and Under’s growing popularity.
You can find out more about the key trends in the 2026 rankings next week when we will publish a deep-dive editorial analysis on the firms and individuals shaping the market. Which firms are best poised for succession planning and which practice areas are these individual nominees most visibly dedicated to? The findings may surprise some people.
For now, you can enjoy reading about this year's honorees, broken down by region, here:
A special thank you to all our sponsor firms this year:
For more information or questions about the research, please contact:
Head of Research, Makenzie Rodrigues (Makenzie.Rodrigues@benchmarklitigation.com)
Research Analyst, Blaike Parker (Blaike.Parker@benchmarklitigation.com)