Recognition

Client Service & Practice

Dorsey is recognized as an AmLaw 100 firm by American Lawyer Magazine and a Top 100 Most Prestigious Firm by Vault.
Dorsey is recognized as a "Leading Firm” by Chambers USA, an organization that surveys clients and peers. Chambers USA also recognized 51 attorneys and 29 practices in its 2011 edition.
In the 2011-2012 U.S. News-Best Lawyers rankings of the Best Law Firms, Dorsey earned 61 metropolitan area Tier 1 rankings, as well as 10 national Tier 1 rankings in the following areas:
- Corporate Governance Law
- Corporate Law
- Employment Law - Management
- Environmental Law
- Franchise Law
- Litigation - Patent
- Litigation - Tax
- Litigation - Trusts & Estates
- Native American Law
- Trademark Law
In the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 100 Dorsey lawyers were recognized in 54 practice areas.
ALM has designated Dorsey as a "Go-To Law Firm" for Leading Financial Services Companies.
Dorsey ranked No. 27 among the top 100 largest securities practices in the U.S. by Law360.
Since 1994, Thomson Reuters has ranked Dorsey in the Top 10 among law firms for the number of U.S. M&A deals completed annually.
Five Dorsey partners are members of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). Membership in the ACTL is by invitation only and is limited to only 1% of total lawyers per state or Canadian province.
Dorsey was the 2011 winner of the Lawyers World Law Award in the category of “Mining Law Firm of the Year,” and has twice been named “U.S. Mining Law Firm of the Year” by ACQ Magazine.
In 2011, Dorsey was the Lawyers World Law Awards winner of the “Aviation Law Firm of the Year” award.
For 2010, Dorsey ranked No. 8 among all legal advisors (including Canadian law firms) in Canadian M&A transactions based on deal count by Bloomberg.com.

Diversity and Inclusion

Working Mother magazine has recognized Dorsey & Whitney as one of 50 winning firms "notable for work/life and women-friendly policies.”
Dorsey received Gold Standard Certification from the Women in Law Empowerment Forum in 2011 and 2012.
Each year since 2006, Dorsey has received a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign in recognition of policies and practices that promote a fair and open workplace for GLBT lawyers and staff.
Dorsey has twice been a recipient of the SAGE Best Practices award, given by the Legal Profession Committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association, which recognizes the efforts of law firms in the recruiting, hiring and development of women attorneys.
Dorsey has been awarded the Working Family Support Award in recognition of the Firm’s vision and diligence in the work-family arena.

Pro Bono

Dorsey was a 1993 charter signatory of the ABA Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, which asks firms to contribute 3% of billable hours to pro bono work. Dorsey has exceeded the Challenge every year since 1993.
Dorsey was selected to receive the ABA 2011 Exceptional Service Award, which recognizes the Firm’s commitment to representing death row prisoners.
Dorsey was named 2011’s Law Firm of the Year by Tubman, an organization in the Twin Cities that promotes safe and healthy families, individuals and communities through evidence-based intervention, prevention and education.
In 2011, the New York Civil Liberties Union honored Dorsey’s pro bono work at its 60th anniversary celebration.