Ballard Spahr ranks among the "Most Feared Law Firms" in the country for litigation across categories again this year and among the top firms in seven areas of litigation in BTI Litigation Outlook 2026, a recently released report based on feedback from corporate clients and adversaries.
A perennial entry on BTI Consulting's annual Most Feared list—firms that "strike the utmost fear into the hearts of seasoned general counsel and legal decision-makers alike"—Ballard Spahr is one of just 37 firms nationally rated "Intimidating Opponents" for 2026 based on BTI's yearly survey and interviews with top legal decision-makers at large companies. The latest rankings are gleaned from more than 350 surveys of general counsel, chief legal officers, and other high-ranking legal and business executives at companies with $1 billion or more in annual revenue.
BTI Litigation Outlook 2026—subtitled More Contentious. More Complex. More Spending—forecasts a 2026 litigation climate that will be "the most contentious and aggressive in memory."
The report additionally ranks Ballard Spahr as a top firm in seven litigation categories:
- IP Litigation – Distinguished (top 12% of firms)
- Class Action Litigation – Standout (top 17% of firms)
- Cybersecurity Litigation – Standout (top 14% of firms)
- Complex Employment Litigation – Standout (top 16% of firms)
- Employment Litigation – Standout (top 16% of firms)
- Complex Commercial Litigation – Standout (top 19% of firms)
- Commercial Litigation – Noteworthy (top 23% of firms)
Ballard Spahr's Litigation Department comprises more than 340 attorneys in 18 offices nationwide—including more than 80 litigators in three offices in the Pacific Northwest, added earlier this year through the firm's combination with Lane Powell on January 1. The firms' outstanding, decades-long track record encompasses success in state and federal trial courts, appellate courts, administrative agencies, arbitration forums, and settlement negotiations.
"We're extremely pleased with this recognition because it's from our clients—as well opponents who have gone up against us in litigation," said Jason A. Leckerman, Chair of Ballard Spahr's Litigation Department. "They are the ones who know how Ballard Spahr litigators go beyond expectations in devising and executing litigation strategy aligned with our client's specific business and objectives. Through our combination earlier this year with Lane Powell, we are now better-positioned than ever to provide outstanding counsel and advocacy—anywhere in the country."