Home

Baker & McKenzie Replaces Skadden Atop AM Law 100
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

American Lawyer released its top 100 law firms Thursday and, as it notes in its summary of the rankings, things certainly could have been worse in 2009. Profits per equity partner, which increased 0.3 percent last year to $1.26 million, was the lone category that showed improvement of the rankings’ four traditional measuring sticks. And while gross revenue, head count and revenue per lawyer were all down, “the bad results weren’t nearly as dire as many firms had feared just a year ago, American Lawyer reports.

Taking a closer look at the four categories we find that Baker & McKenzie was the highest revenue-grossing firm last year with just over $2.1 billion. It supplants Skadden to take the top spot for the first time since 1994. Eleven firms topped $1 billion in gross revenue, including K&L Gates, which reached the level for the first time.

Overall, total revenue was off by 3.4 percent, with the firms grossing a total of $64.8 billion, down roughly $2.3 billion from the prior year.

  
What
Where


More than half, 56 firms, showed drops in revenue per lawyer, which the report notes is “our best measure of a firm’s financial health.” Debevoise & Plimpton had the biggest decline at 19.1 percent, which dropped them out of the top 10.

Revenue per lawyer was down $15,697, to $802,381, a 2 percent fall. This was the second consecutive year in which RPL fell.

A total of 54 firms reduced their head counts last year, cutting more than 3,000 lawyers overall.

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




As for profits per partner, 16 firms had PPP exceeding $2 million in 2009. That is the same number as 2008, though that group has seen some changes. Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and Davis Polk & Wardwell replaced Debevoise & Plimpton and Dechert in that group.

The Top 10 firms based on revenue:



Baker & McKenzie, $2.11 billion

Skadden, $2.10 billion

Latham & Watkins, $1.82 billion

Jones Day $1.52 billion

Kirkland & Ellis $1.43 billion

Sidley Austin, $1.35 billion

White & Case, $1.3 billion

Weil Gotshal, $1.23 billion

Greenberg Traurig $1.17 billion

Mayer Brown, $1.12 billion



 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Deputy General Counsel / Senior Deputy General Counsel

USA-CA-Sacramento

Cal Cities Culture and Mission Cal Cities is dedicated to creating a collaborative and inclusive ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top