Close to 48,000 lawyers practice in Los Angeles County. That’s about 30 percent of California’s entire legal workforce and an amount equal to the population of Beverly Hills and Malibu combined.

But in that legal army, how can you determine which individuals are the standouts, the ones regarded as the best in their business?

The Business Journal sought to do just that in compiling this year’s Who’s Who in Law list. The staff of the newspaper sought nominations for outstanding lawyers in 10 practice areas. An informal committee comprised of knowledgeable figures in the local legal community selected from the nominees those attorneys whose career achievements merit special designation.

Some lawyers were favored because they are great business generators, for example, while others are known as having a legal acumen that is unmatched and a select few excel in both areas. Some lawyers were picked because they produce work that’s consistently great and others were selected for their leadership abilities.

Regardless of why they were chosen, what follows is a compilation of what the Business Journal considers the lawyers who stand out in L.A.’s crowded legal field the best of the bar in Los Angeles.

Judging the Lawyers- Intellectual Property

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Government Affairs

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Litigation

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White Collar

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Media and Entertainment

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Labor and Employment

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Real Estate

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Transactions/Corporate

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Family Law

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Trusts and Estates

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