Corporate Board Member magazine announced the results of its sixth annual Legal Industry Research Study, sponsored by FTI, a Baltimore-based consulting firm.

Corporate Board Member/FTI's annual study identifies the top 20 national corporate law firms and the top five corporate law firms in 25 major metropolitan areas, according to directors serving on boards of publicly traded companies listed with the NASDAQ Stock Market, New York Stock Exchange, or American Stock Exchange.

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC was named fourth according to the directors surveyed by Corporate Board Member/FTI.

About the Survey

Corporate Board Member surveyed directors serving on boards of publicly traded companies listed with the NASDAQ, New York, or American Stock Exchanges.  The directors were divided into groups based on the location of their companies within metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).  Directors in each of the 25 MSAs featured received a questionnaire specific to their location that included a list of 20 local firms and two write-in options.  To be included in the list, each firm had to practice business, corporate, or commerical law and had to be one of the 20 largest firms in its area by number of attorneys.  Corporate Board Member compiled the lists of local law firms using Martindale-Hubbell's Law Directory.  Respondents were asked to select the five local law firms, from the list provided or as a write-in, they would most likely select to aid their companies on a broad range of corporate legal issues.  The top five law firms in each MSA are listed in the magazine based on the number of votes received.