Every time I see one of those lists of firms where women are "succeeding" or "winning" I want to bang my head against the wall. Why? Because they're always so damn predictable. And so damn depressing.

Let me cut to the chase: The top dozen or so firms where women are doing fantastically well are never big names such as Cravath Swaine & Moore or Sullivan & Cromwell. Nor are they the most profitable ones. Quite the contrary.

Once again, the latest "best" list compiled by The National Law Journal, "The NLJ 500: Where Are Women Winning?" is nothing to brag about. (The score is determined by adding the percentage of female attorneys and percentage of female partners—equity and nonequity.) With the very notable exception of Ropes & Gray (No. 20 on the NLJ list), the other 19 firms are largely regional firms or firms with low-profit margin practices, such as immigration or labor and employment law.