Welcome to the 2011 edition of our annual Best Legal Department competition. For the past six years, we've solicited nominations from legal departments around the country. We send out, or make available for download, a nosy form, trying to glean as much information as we can about such things as internal operations, litigation strategy, outside firm management, and the use of technology. We also ask about the so-called soft stuff, like diversity efforts and pro bono programs. They've often been the tie-breakers.

It's hard to generalize about this exercise, even after reading scores of nomination forms. But it's easy to find a common thread in our honorees, both this year's and in the past. They've all got a certain spark, an esprit de corps, and a thoughtfulness about the work they do and how they do it. In the past, we've rewarded systems and organization. That might be true this year, too. But 2011's trio have a certain audacity. In one case, the department is a small outfit that's got to do everything. Another finds itself in the middle of a pitched political battle. And one department is composed of mostly young lawyers who are rewriting the rules every day.

We enjoyed putting together this year's report; the reporters all passionately made the case for the people they spent time with.