Yes, size matters, and because the legal profession is obsessed with every measurable and quantifiable factor law firms have to offer, there`s obviously a ranking for that – two, actually. So which big law firm is the biggest of them all? And which major U.S.-based law firm is the largest in the country? The National Law Journal and Law360 (sub. req.) can help us answer these questions. Last night, Law360 released its master list of the top 400 U.S. law firms by headcount, and this morning the NLJ did the same, but for the top 500 law firms in the country. What did these dueling rankings reveal about the number of law firm employees after the wild side entry in 2021? Don`t miss, however, is the NLJ 500, in which the National Law Journal ranks the 500 largest law firms in the United States by number of lawyers — firms that place the “big guys” in “biglaw.” They may not be as sexy as company rankings based on profitability or prestige, but they`re still important. Latham and Watkins is an American company headquartered in California. It is one of the most profitable law firms in the world and one of the largest law firms in the world by headcount, with a turnover per partner of more than $4.5 million. In addition to television and film, which makes the law incredibly appealing, it`s also true that if you`re really good as a lawyer, you can progress quickly and earn handsome salaries, which can be a huge incentive for many. However, lawyers also tend to work very long hours at most firms, especially large law firms where lawyers work an average of 66 hours per week, according to Indeed, which equates to 11 hours per day, 6 days a week. Meanwhile, lawyers at small and medium-sized law firms work an average of 42 to 54 hours less per week (and earn less).

Lawyers who work for government agencies now work 40 hours a week. First, the NLJ 500 reminds us that large U.S. law firms, even if they are not publicly traded, can be larger than all but the largest companies, generate billions in revenue, and employ thousands of people, including not only lawyers, but also paralegals, paralegals, paralegals, and other professionals. Second, the rankings also show how many people have linked their careers and lives to a particular company, and in this sense, they reflect the influence and importance of a company within the Biglaw ecosystem. Click here to see NLJ`s full list of the country`s 500 largest law firms, and click here to see Law360`s full list of the country`s 400 largest U.S. law firms. The overall ranking, which covers 2021, lists the largest law firms like Baker McKenzie (with 4,795 lawyers), followed by DLA Piper (4,028 lawyers), Norton Rose Fulbright (3,084 lawyers), Latham & Watkins (3,078 lawyers), Kirkland & Ellis (3,025 lawyers) and Hogan Lovells (2,532 lawyers). The three major law firms were in the same locations last year “with negligible changes in headcount,” according to a separate article from Law.com. The next three law firms have seen significant percentage changes in headcount – including an 11% increase at Kirkland & Ellis – but have consistently maintained the same ranking.

The top two places and six of the top 10 belong to law firms with a majority of their lawyers in China. Here are the top 10 companies in the NLJ 500, i.e. the ten largest companies in terms of headcount based on 2020 data. I self-calculated and added two columns of calculations that I think might be interesting – partners as a percentage of the total number of lawyers in a firm and participating partners as a percentage of the total number of lawyers in a firm: These are the 10 largest law firms in America, according to NLJ, as well as some findings on the list: We have identified the 15 largest law firms in the world by number of employees. You won`t be surprised to learn that most of these firms are based in China or the United States, where the large population means there is a much higher demand for lawyers. Together, these 15 companies employ approximately 70,000 people. So, without further ado, let`s take a look at the law firms with the largest number of employees, starting with number 15: DeHeng Law Offices, one of the world`s largest law firms by headcount, is based in Beijing and currently has 27 offices in China, while also having overseas offices in Brussels, Dubai, Nur-Sultan, New York and Brussels. The firm was founded 29 years ago, in 1993.

And these are the top 10 U.S. law firms in America, according to Law360: Congratulations to the top 10 on both lists for keeping your big firms bigger than everyone else. As with any other business, you will continue to grow and one day you will also be a giant of biglaw. The National Law Journal`s recent list of the top 500 U.S. law firms by workforce has seen significant changes in rankings. The top three firms on the LGBTQ scorecard are Jenner & Block with 11.5% LGBTQ lawyers; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, with 10.3% LGBTQ lawyers; and Ropes & Gray with 9.5% LGBTQ lawyers. CMS is the largest law firm in Germany and offers legal services in addition to tax advice. CMS itself consists of about 18 independent law firms with more than 80 offices. The company was founded in 1999 from six European law firms.

Depending on the jurisdiction in which the law firm operates, there are different types of law firms, including general partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, limited liability company, professional association, and even a professional corporation. In some countries, such as the United States, only lawyers are allowed to have an ownership interest or manage law firms. Also, unlike most companies, law firms are not allowed to offer shares via an IPO, which is why you won`t see a law firm listed on the stock exchange. But other law firms have had “notable moves” in the ranking, Law.com reports here. You are: There are many different and exciting ways to evaluate law firms. How prestigious are they? How much money do they make? How much do partners earn? How much do employees earn in cash compensation? How big are they? As one of the largest law firms in the UK, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has over 28 offices and around 427 partners. The company operates in multiple jurisdictions on many continents, including Asia, Europe and North America. Despite the above issues, the law firm industry continues to grow rapidly, and according to Grand View Research, the global legal services market has approached $1 trillion, reached $908 billion in 2021, and is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 5.3%, meaning it will surpass the trillion-dollar mark in a few years. The use of artificial intelligence in the legal industry has allowed it to grow rapidly and create efficiencies that have allowed the industry to maximize revenue and reduce costs and time.