The Firm: This group advises Fortune 500 companies on a wide range of transactional matters, including large cross-border M&A deals. Notably, the firm acts for NYSE Euronext on international employment, benefits and compensation issues. It also advises corporate boards, management employees and committees on executive compensation, benefits plans and related issues. Key clients include Reed Elsevier, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Yahoo!'s compensation committee.

Sources Say: "They leave no stone unturned - they provide a very thorough legal analysis."

Key Individuals: Star individual Michael Sirkin cochairs the firm's benefits and compensation department, and is acclaimed for his expertise in advising on employment and compensation agreements for senior executives. In highlights, he represented the Yahoo! compensation committee in the hiring of its new CEO. "Mike is a wonderful attorney - I would trust him with my life," said one interviewee.

Rory Albert is recognized for his specialization in benefits plan and fund work. In the past year he has acted as general counsel to a range of entertainment industry-based health and welfare, retirement and 401(k) funds, such as the Writers Guild Industry Health Fund and the Broadway League Staff Retirement Plan.

Andrea Rattner is praised for her "wonderful broad knowledge" of compensation and employee plans, with a focus on tax and securities, corporate governance and ERISA fiduciary issues. She recently advised Solera Capital on the benefits and compensation implications relating to the IPO of one of its portfolio companies.