According to a report by the Am Law Daily web site, the ranking – produced by San Diego retirement and wealth management research business BrightScope – is based on a formula that accounts for 200 variables, such as total plan cost, employer generosity, and the quality of investment options available to participants.

Low fees

A scheme offered by New York firm Sullivan & Cromwell led the rankings with $137 million in assets and 190 participants. The plan earned high marks for its low fees, robust enrolment rate and generosity in handing out contributions of $45,045 on average per participant.
Those with notable plans included that of Los Angeles firm O'Melveny & Myers -- which boasts $160 million in assets and 2,300 participants – and Washington DC-based Jones Day with a plan including $693 million in assets and 1,300 participants.

Algorithm

Brooks Herman, BrightScope's head of research, told the web site that the company's algorithm effectively measures ‘how quickly a participant can actually get to a dollar value where you can retire in dignity. The quicker you can get to that goal line, the better your rating is’.