In this article we are going to list the 15 largest law firms in the world. Click to skip ahead and jump to the 5 largest law firms in the world.
Law is one of the most widely sought-after professions in the world, with its hype dating back to colonial times. This popularity can be attributed to the high-paying salaries and reputability that come with pursuing law, as well as the influence of television shows like Boston Legal and Suits in popular culture. Law, although common, is a disciple with a lot of jargon attached to it, which can often be difficult to understand. For starters, there is a difference between general lawyers and an attorney-at-law. Attorneys are qualified licensed individuals who represent client in court. These clients can be businesses or individuals and are hired to fight a case. Lawyers, on the other hand are trained in law and advise clients on legal issues, but do not necessarily fight in court.
There are many fields and types of law. Criminal law deals with persons who have committed crimes or broken the law in any way and is a case between the individual and the state. . In criminal law, those representing the state are known as prosecutors or district attorneys, while the representatives of the client are criminal defense lawyers. Civil law is a bit different, where the case is between two parties and deals with private affairs of citizens rather than crime. There are even family lawyers who are usually from smaller firms who take cases within the context of the family, for example divorce, child abuse, adoption, etc. Besides these, practices of law include real estate law, immigration law, health law, business and corporate law, bankruptcy law, etc.
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Law firms are business entities that are formed by one or more lawyers to practice law, where they may advise clients on legal matters or represent them in court. The roles of law firm attorneys can differ from firm to firm. Firms employ both attorneys and non-attorney executives for the firm to function.
Attorneys cam hold a number of titles and positions, the highest ranking of which is the Managing Partner position. This person is usually a senior level or founding lawyer of the firm who has executive power over every-day operations of the firm. An attorney can also be a Law Firm Partner, also known as a shareholder. These attorneys are joint owners of the firm. Types of partnerships vary from firm to firm. A firm can be a sole proprietorship with only one owner, general partnership with multiple, limited liability company, (LLC), or limited liability partnership (LLP). Other attorney job titles include associates, who are less experienced attorneys that are not yet partners of the firm, of counsel attorneys, who work on contractual basis, and summer associates, who are usually students that work at firms as summer interns.
Law firms at the end of the day, are businesses that are providing their services to the general public. Their immense wealth and power stem from experience, reputation, and networking. Many big-name law firms deal with billions of dollars’ worth of deals every year. The largest law firms are mostly headquartered in the United States and United Kingdom. Nowadays, there is an increased interest in the globalization of law firms, with firms undergoing mergers, entering alliances, and making acquisitions more than before. So let’s take a look at the biggest law firms in the world fighting for justice, starting with number 15:
15. Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher
Revenue in 2019: $2 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 1351
Total Employees: 2,200
Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1890, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a global law firm with over 1,300 lawyers around the world. The firm is operated on five continents with 20 offices in the territories of North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm is well known for its litigation practice, even being named the Top Litigation Department of the Year in the US in 2019 by legal magazine The American Lawyer. The firm has been around for over a century, with the firm’s attorneys having fought over 100 cases before the United States Supreme Court. The firm has represented many high-profile companies and tech giants on various lawsuits, including Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook (NASDAQ: FB), Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), Dole Food Company (NYSE: DOLE), and Chevron (NYSE: CVX).
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14. Jones Day
Revenue in 2019: $2.07 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 2,529
Total Employees: 2,600
With over 40 offices and 2,513 lawyers worldwide, Jones Day is one of the highest grossing law firms in the world. Jones Day was established in 1893 as Blandin & Rice in Cleveland, Ohio in the United States. The firm has made an appearance on Forbes’ list of America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms in 2019. Jones Day has represented a number of high-profile clients, including household names John D. Rockefeller and Donald Trump, as well as the companies JP Morgan Chase Bank (NYSE: JPM) and McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD). Jones Day has advised clients on more than 3,000 transactions which are collectively valued at a staggering $1.7 trillion in its century old history.
13. Linklaters
Revenue in 2019: $2.09 Billion
Country: United Kingdom
Lawyers: 2, 370
Total Employees: 5,290
Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, Linklaters is a multinational law firm founded in 1838. The firm operated in 30 offices across 20 countries, with 490 partners. The firm is known as a member of the Magic Circle, a term used to describe the five most prestigious law firms headquartered in London. The firm has been recognized for their work on the practice areas of large-scale IPOS, litigations, banking and finance, capital markets, antitrust compliance, and more.
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12. Allen & Overy
Revenue in 2019: $2.13 Billion
Country: United Kingdom
Lawyers: 2, 693
Total Employees: 5,500
Founded in 1930, London-based Allen & Overy is one of the leading law firms of the world. It is also a member of the Magic Circle¸ and is regarded as one of the most prestigious law firms of the United Kingdom. In February 2019, the firm reported to advising on more deals in 2019 than any other law firm in the world, at a total of $1.6 trillion. The firm has established roots dating back to serving as adviser to King Edward VIII in 1936. They currently operate 44 offices spread across 31 countries internationally.
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11. White & Case
Revenue in 2019: $2.18 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 2, 200
Employees: 5,000
White & Case LLP is an international law firm based in New York City founded by two Wall Street Lawyers in 1901. The firm started with humble beginnings from a two-room office on Nassau Street in New York City. Today, the firm has 44 offices in 30 countries worldwide, operating in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. The firm has had notable cases throughout its 120-year long history, such as representing the sellers in the $51 million sale of the Empire State Building in 1951. In 2019, the firm’s antitrust law practice was named in Global Competition Review’s Top 5 Global Elite.
10. Hogan Lovells
Revenue in 2019: $2.25 Billion
Country: United States/United Kingdom
Lawyers: 2, 494
Employees: 4,483
Founded in 2010, Hogan Lovells was formed by the merger of two existing law firms: American firm Hogan & Hartson established in 1904 and British law firm Lovells founded in 1899. The firm is co-headquartered in both London, United Kingdom, and Washington D.C, United States. Hogan Lovells is an international law firm with over 40 offices in United States, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The firm has served a number of household names, with big names Dell (NYSE:DELL), Papa John’s (NASDAQ:PZZA), Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), and Walmart (NYSE:WMT) all part of their clientele. In 2019, Hogan Lovells was listed in Forbes’ America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms 2019.
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9. Morgan Lewis, & Bockius
Revenue in 2019: $2.3 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 2, 2015
Employees: 2,200
With 774 partners, 2015 lawyers, and 31 offices around the world, Morgan Lewis & Bockius is a leading law firm of the world. The firm represents corporations in all sorts of industries. Founded in 1873 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the firm is said to represent three quarters of the Fortune 100 companies. In 2015, the firm notably filed an amicus brief for the Supreme Court case which ruled in favor of same-sex marriages across the country on behalf of 379 companies. These companies included Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Walmart, and the New England Patriots It is also the largest law firm that is chaired by a woman, with Jami Wintz McKeon as firm chair of the firm since 2014.
8. Clifford Chance
Revenue in 2019: $2.3 Billion
Country: United Kingdom
Lawyers: 2, 912
Founded in 1987 by merger of Coward Chance established in 1802 and Clifford Turner founded in 1900, the firm is one of the largest law firms in the world, both by revenue and lawyer count. The firm is located in London, England and is part of the prestigious Magic Circle. In 2019, Clifford Chance had the highest revenue of all law firms that were members of the Magic Circle. It has received multiple accolades, such as International Law Firm of the Year at the IFLR Europe Awards in 2019. The firm has 574 partners in 32 offices in 21 countries, and is most known for its work on banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets.
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7. Sidley Austin
Revenue in 2019: $2.34 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 1,943
Employees: 2,000
Founded in 1866, Sidley Austin is a law firm powerhouse, with 2,000 employees and 20 offices worldwide. The firm has its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. It is well known as the law firm where former U.S President Barack Obama and his now wife, Michelle Obama first met. The firm has offices in New York, California, as well in parts of Europe and Asia.
6. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Revenue in 2019: $2.6 Billion
Country: United States
Lawyers: 1,700+
Employees: 4,500
Based in New York City, the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher &Flom was founded as a startup in 1948. The firm has 22 offices across the globe, and has consistently been ranked in the top ten for highest grossing law firms in the world by the American Lawyer. The firm has been known for its partners and employees contributions to politics in the United States, reporting donations of $1.98 million to Democrats in the 2012 U.S. elections.
Please continue to see the 5 largest law firms in the world.
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Disclosure: No position. 15 largest law firms in the world is originally published at Insider Monkey.
