Cadwalader has been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, with over 40 lawyers across more than 20 practice areas featured in the guide. In addition, nearly 30 of the firm's lawyers have been named to the guide's edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America list.

Cadwalader lawyers are noted as leaders in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bankruptcy Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Corporate Governance Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Derivatives and Futures Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Health Care Law, Mergers and Acquisition Law, Municipal Law, Real Estate Law, Real Estate Litigation, Regulatory Enforcement Litigation (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Securities Litigation, Securities Regulation, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates.

The following attorneys are recognized with a "Lawyer of the Year" Award: 

• Peter Malyshev – Derivatives and Futures Law (Washington) 
• Anne Tompkins – Criminal Defense: White-Collar (Charlotte)

The following attorneys are recognized as leaders in their fields: 

• Lary Stromfeld – Derivatives and Futures Law, Municipal Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law (New York)
• Daniel Meade – Banking and Finance Law (Washington)
• Anne Tompkins – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Securities (Charlotte)
• James Frazier – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (New York)

The following attorneys are recognized as "Ones to Watch" in their fields:

• Christian Larson – Criminal Defense: White-Collar (Washington)