Law Firms

Gross revenue jumped 5% for top US law firms last year; which firm surpassed $4B?

  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Print

billing rates increase with arrow and money

Image from Shutterstock.com.

Gross revenue for the nation’s 100 highest-grossing law firms jumped 5% last year, with 86 of the firms reporting gains.

The average gross revenue was more than $104 billion, according to a chart by the American Lawyer. The range was more than $4 billion to more than $380 million, according to another chart.

Kirkland & Ellis was No. 1 for gross revenues, surpassing more than $4 billion in revenue for the first time last year, the American Lawyer previously reported. Eleven firms posted gross revenue of more than $2 billion. They are:

• Kirkland & Ellis ($4,154,600,000)

• Latham & Watkins ($3,767,623,000)

• DLA Piper ($3,112,130,000)

• Baker McKenzie ($2,920,000,000)

• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom ($2,632,615,000)

• Sidley Austin ($2,337,803,000)

• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius ($2,265,000,000)

• Hogan Lovells ($2,246,050,000)

• White & Case ($2,184,850,000)

• Jones Day ($2,077,000,000)

• Gibson Dunn ($2,008,334,000)

The largest gain in gross revenue—16.3%—was posted by Lewis Brisbois, which has 1,528 lawyers and is No. 65 on the Am Law 100 list. The largest decrease—5.9%—was posted by Kramer Levin, which has 330 lawyers and is ranked No. 95.

Average revenue per lawyer increased 3% to $1,001,289, while average profits per partner increased 5% to $1,967,895.

The firm with the highest revenue per lawyer was Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, with $3,329,000 revenue per lawyer. The firm with the lowest was Lewis Brisbois, with $420,000 revenue per lawyer.

Wachtell was also the firm with the highest profits per partner, at $6,330,000. The firm with the lowest was Littler Mendelson, with $500,000 profits per partner.

Give us feedback, share a story tip or update, or report an error.