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Why Working with a Highly Ranked Lawyer Can Accelerate Your Career
Last week saw the release of the latest Best Lawyers in Australia ™ rankings, recognising over 5,600 lawyers nationwide based entirely on peer review, a powerful reflection of who the profession regards as leaders in their field.
While Best Lawyers is one of the most globally recognised peer-review guides, it sits alongside respected Australian benchmarks such as Doyle's Guide. Together, these rankings highlight lawyers and firms consistently delivering at the highest level, and offer a useful lens into where the strongest talent in the market sits.
Across these rankings, one thing becomes clear: the difference between good lawyers and exceptional ones is often shaped by the calibre of work, clients and mentorship they’ve been exposed to throughout their careers.
For lawyers considering their next move, this raises an important question, not just where you work, but who you work with.
Exposure to High-Quality Work
Highly ranked lawyers are typically entrusted with the most complex, high-value and strategically important matters.Working alongside these practitioners means you’re not just gaining experience, you’re building it in a platform where the stakes are higher, the work is more nuanced, and the learning curve is significantly accelerated. Over time, this leads to stronger technical ability and sharper commercial awareness.
Being part of that environment provides invaluable insight into how leading lawyers think, operate and deliver results. You gain exposure to sophisticated legal reasoning, strategic decision-making and high-level client communication, all of which shape how you practise law over time.
There’s also a big difference between doing legal work and understanding how a successful practice is run. By working closely with leading lawyers, you gain insight into how they structure their teams, manage workflows, price work, and build sustainable client relationships. These are the kinds of skills that become critical as you move toward senior roles.
Building a Recognised Profile
Just as firms build reputations, so do individual lawyers. Working closely with respected practitioners strengthens your own standing in the market over time. Future employers, clients and colleagues place real value on:
The quality of work you’ve been exposed to
The lawyers you’ve trained under
The standards you’ve been held to
That association carries real weight. It becomes a signal of credibility and one that can open doors later in your career.
One of the most noticeable differences we see in lawyers who have trained under highly regarded practitioners is confidence, not just technically, but in how they communicate, make decisions and navigate complex matters.
That confidence is built through consistent participation in high-quality work, being trusted with responsibility early, and operating in a team where expectations are high but support is equally strong. The result is lawyers who are not only capable, but commercially astute and assured in their approach.
Looking Beyond the Big Firms
Importantly, this level of exposure isn’t limited to large or top-tier firms. Some of the best opportunities to work closely with highly ranked lawyers can be found within specialist and boutique practices.
These workplaces often provide more direct access to Partners, greater hands-on involvement in matters, and the opportunity to take on meaningful responsibility earlier in your career. Combined with competitive remuneration and a more agile, collaborative culture, they can offer an exceptional platform for growth.
Making And Informed Career Decision
For many lawyers, the key isn’t simply joining the biggest firm, it’s finding the right place where you’re supported, challenged and learning from the right people.
Awards and rankings are more than just recognition, they offer a window into where the strongest lawyers, teams and opportunities sit in the market.
For lawyers considering their next move, it’s worth thinking beyond title, salary or firm name alone. Ask yourself:
Who will I be learning from?
What standard of work will I be exposed to?
Will this environment challenge and accelerate my growth?
In many cases, aligning yourself with a highly ranked lawyer isn’t just a good move, it’s a career-defining one.