Simpson Thacher has once again been ranked among the leading law firms in the United States in The Legal 500 United States 2014. The Firm was recognized in 41 practice areas, including a total of 19 rankings in the top tier. Simpson Thacher was ranked #1 in the following practice areas:
  Finance
#1 Bank Lending (including other sources of financing) 
#1 Capital Markets: Debt Offerings - advice to issuers
#1 Capital Markets: Debt Offerings - advice to managers
#1 Capital Markets: Equity Offerings - advice to issuers
#1 Capital Markets: Equity Offerings - advice to managers
#1 Capital Markets: Global Offerings - advice to financial institutions
#1 Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings - advice to issuers
#1 Financial Services: Litigation
#1 Not-for-profit (non profit and tax exempt organizations)
 
 Industry Focus
#1 Insurance: Advice to insurers
 
 Investment Fund Formation and Management 
#1 Private Equity Funds
 
 Labor and Employment 
#1 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
 
 Litigation
#1 Securities: Shareholder Litigation
 
 Mergers, Acquisitions & Buyouts 
#1 Antitrust
#1 M&A: Litigation
#1 M&A: Mega-Deals ($5bn+) 
#1 Private Equity Buyouts
 
 Real Estate and Construction
#1 Real Estate
 
 Tax
#1 Domestic Tax: East Coast
 The Legal 500 United States also recognized a number of the Firm’s attorneys. Partner Barry R. Ostrager and Of Counsel Henry B. Gutman of the Firm’s Litigation Department have been named as two of the country’s “Leading Trial Lawyers.” This is Mr. Ostrager’s eighth consecutive year and Mr. Gutman’s third consecutive year receiving this recognition. In addition, the following attorneys were recognized as “Leading Lawyers” in their respective fields of practice:
 
Bruce D. Angiolillo 
Kevin J. Arquit 
Thomas H. Bell 
Joshua Ford Bonnie
Richard Capelouto
Sarah E. Cogan 
Charles I. Cogut 
James D. Cross
Gary I. Horowitz 
Peter E. Kazanoff
Lee A. Meyerson
Wilson S. Neely
Barry R. Ostrager
Peter V. Pantaleo
Gregory J. Ressa 
Brian D. Robbins
Arthur D. Robinson
Patrick J. Ryan
David A. Shevlin
Mary Kay Vyskocil 
Michael W. Wolitzer
 In addition to the practice areas noted above, the Firm was recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the following practice areas:
 
Capital Markets: Global Offerings - advice to corporates
Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings - advice to managers
Finance: Asset Finance and Leasing
Finance: Corporate Restructuring (including bankruptcy)
Finance: Project Finance: Advice to Lender
Finance: Project Finance: Advice to Sponsor
Finance: Structured Finance
Financial Services: Regulatory
Industry Focus: Energy: Renewable/Alternative
Industry Focus: Energy: Transactions
Industry Focus: Environment: Transactional and Regulatory
Industry Focus: Insurance: Non-contentious
Investment Fund Formation and Management: Alternative/Hedge Funds
Investment Fund Formation and Management: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Litigation: Appellate
Litigation: International Arbitration
Litigation: Leading Trial Lawyers
Litigation: Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense: Consumer Products (including tobacco)
Litigation: White-Collar Criminal Defense
Media, Technology and Telecoms: Technology: Transactions
Mutual/Registered Funds
Tax: Domestic Tax: West Coast 
Tax: International
 Additionally, the Firm was the sole recipient of the Finance: Bank Lending Team of the Year award.  For more on this recognition, click here.
 The Legal 500, a worldwide legal reference guide, ranks law firms and attorneys based on extensive research surveying corporate counsel and law firm clients throughout the country.