Smith Anderson Tops Best Places to Work in Extra-Large Company Category

Smith Anderson has once again earned the #1 spot among Extra-Large Companies in Triangle Business Journal’s (TBJ) 2026 Best Places to Work rankings, marking the second consecutive year the firm has topped its category and the seventh consecutive year it has been named among the Triangle’s Best Places to Work.

TBJ revealed the rankings at its annual Best Places to Work celebration on August 20, where 50 companies were recognized for workplace cultures characterized by engaged employees, collaborative teams, and positive work environments.

“This recognition is particularly gratifying during a period of tremendous growth and investment at our firm,” said Byron Kirkland, managing partner of Smith Anderson. “Over the past year, we have welcomed exceptional new attorneys and business professionals, expanded our leadership team with our first Chief Innovation Officer and a new Chief Operating Officer, completed a major renovation and expansion of our headquarters, and have grown to nearly 300 people. Through all of that change, our focus has remained the same: preserving the collaborative, supportive culture where people care about doing great work and about the people they do it with.”

The Best Places to Work recognition is based on employee feedback about their workplace experience, including leadership, engagement, benefits, workplace culture, and overall satisfaction. Smith Anderson earned the No. 1 ranking in the Extra-Large Company category, which includes organizations with more than 250 employees.

Smith Anderson also continues to invest in opportunities that strengthen relationships across the firm and in the community. Attorneys and business professionals contribute thousands of hours each year through pro bono legal work, nonprofit leadership, volunteer service and philanthropic support. The firm’s annual Week of Service brings colleagues together to support local organizations through hands-on volunteer projects throughout the Triangle. That same spirit is reflected in the firm’s culture of employee longevity, with many attorneys and business professionals building careers at Smith Anderson spanning decades.

Founded in 1912, Smith Anderson is the largest law firm headquartered in the Research Triangle Region and provides a full range of business and litigation services across more than 50 practice areas.

Click here to view the full list of TBJ’s 2026 Best Places to Work winners.

Triangle Business Journal (TBJ) is a leading source of business news and events covering Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the surrounding Triangle region. The publication is part of American City Business Journals.