Firm Profiles
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IN-DEPTH RESEARCH REPORT
on Barnes & Thornburg LLP
- - Financial Information
- - Compensation
- - Billing Rates
- - Lateral Partner Moves
- - Pro bono
- - Key Contacts
Barnes & Thornburg
- Designation: Indianapolis
- Head Count:
- Gross Revenues:
- Revenue Per Lawyer:
- Profits Per Partner:
- Year Over Year Change: N/A
Who would have guessed that one of the hot spots for law firm mergers was Indiana? But that’s where Indianapolis–based Barnes, Hickam, Pantzer & Boyd combined with South Bend’s Thornburg, McGill, Deahl, Harman, Carey & Murray in 1982—creating one of the largest firms in the Midwest—and found the results so satisfactory that they followed it with five more mergers (the last just in 2011). While integrating so many entities has stalled more than a few firms, Barnes & Thornburg has thrived, even during the recent economic crisis. Indeed, between 2006 and 2010 it saw its revenue per lawyer and profits per partner increase by about 40 percent—and its gross revenue and net operating income by some 50 percent.
Numbering more than 450 lawyers (and unlike many firms, having a roughly equal number of partners and associates), Barnes & Thornburg’s main areas of focus include litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, corporate law, energy and environmental, health care, and creditors’ rights. It also has a “federal relations group,” which lobbies for clients before Congress and the executive branch.
While Barnes & Thornburg has been expanding its footprint in the United States—it now has 12 offices, in cities that include Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C.—it has yet to jump on the overseas bandwagon (nope, no newly opened Beijing office here). And even though its revenue per lawyer and profits per partner have seen dramatic growth in recent years, Barnes still ranks well into the Second Hundred firms on each of these measures. The same is true for its pro bono work: Barnes placed 161st of 200 firms on our 2011 tally, with lawyers averaging a paltry 14.6 hours a year of pro bono work. On diversity, Barnes & Thornburg fares even worse, ranking 173rd of 194 firms in 2011. Just 6 percent of the firm’s U.S. lawyers—and 4 percent of its partners—identify themselves as minorities. Barnes & Thornburg has grown a lot in recent years. Looks like there is room to grow still.
—Updated as of 1/1/12
Firm Rankings
| Survey | Rank | Year Over Year Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am Law 100 | NR | N/A | Gross revenue |
| Am Law 200 | N/A | Gross revenue | |
| NLJ 250 | 92 | no change | Lawyer head count |
| The A-List | NR | N/A | Overall excellence |
| Pro Bono Scorecard | 161 | 13 | Pro-bono commitment |
| Diversity Scorecard | 184 | 11 | Minority head count |
| Midlevel Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Job satisfaction |
| Summer Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Summer programs |
In the News
Jury Finds For Attorney In Legal-Mal Case
Greg Land : Daily Report : May 20, 2013
Following a series of judicial rulings that dramatically reduced the scope of a multicount legal malpractice case down to a single claim, a Fulton County jury found no liability against Atlanta attorney Louis Cohan and his former firm, now-defunct Weinstock & Scavo.
MOVERS
: The National Law Journal : May 13, 2013
Adrienne Pitts joins Baker & McKenzie as partner in the Chicago office. Plus more law firm movers in this week's column.
Nearly 1 in 4 Am Law 100 Firms Has an Atlanta Office
Meredith Hobbs : Daily Report : May 8, 2013
Three additional firms with Atlanta offices appear in this year's Am Law 100 rankings, while two dropped off the list. Notably, McKenna Long & Aldridge rejoined the Am Law 100 this year at No. 87, vaulting up from No. 104 in the rankings last year.
Outsourcing Group Jumps to Bryan Cave
Meredith Hobbs : Daily Report : May 8, 2013
After six years at Sutherland, Scott Hobby has taken his eight-person outsourcing practice to Bryan Cave in a move that brings him full circle. Joining Bryan Cave as partners, from left, are Charles Hollis, Derek Johnston, Scott Hobby and Sean Christy.
The Churn: Lateral Moves in The Am Law 200
Diane Jeantet : The Am Law Daily : May 7, 2013
Edwards Wildman Palmer expands its newly launched Miami office; a Department of Justice lawyer joins Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C.; and Chadbourne & Parke loses a project finance partner in New York. The Churn is constant. Please send all announcements to thechurn@alm.com.
Determining Jurisdiction for Patent Law Malpractice Cases
Larry Ashery : The Legal Intelligencer : May 1, 2013
As an intellectual property attorney, the federal jurisdiction of patent-related cases always seemed clear to me. 28 U.S.C. 1338 provides that: "The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action arising under any act of Congress relating to patents."
Determining Jurisdiction for Patent Law Malpractice Cases
Larry Ashery : The Legal Intelligencer : May 1, 2013
As an intellectual property attorney, the federal jurisdiction of patent-related cases always seemed clear to me. 28 U.S.C. 1338 provides that: "The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action arising under any act of Congress relating to patents."
Reverse Commute
Elliott Hurwitt : Corporate Counsel : May 1, 2013
MOVERS
: The National Law Journal : April 29, 2013
John Cherundolo joins Hiscock & Barclay's torts and products liability practice as of counsel. Plus more law firm movers in this week's column.
The Churn: Lateral Moves in The Am Law 200
Diane Jeantet : The Am Law Daily : April 26, 2013
Ropes & Gray hires five new partners in Hong Kong, London, and New York; a hedge fund general counsel joins Sidley Austin in London; and Cozen O'Connor takes one from Blank Rome in New York. The Churn is constant. Please send all announcements to thechurn@alm.com.
- Adams and Reese
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- Chadbourne & Parke
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- Clifford Chance
- Cooley
- Covington & Burling
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- Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Dewey & LeBoeuf
- Dickstein Shapiro
- DLA Piper
- Duane Morris
- Eversheds
- Fish & Richardson
- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
- Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian
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- Howrey
- Irwin Mitchell
- Jenner & Block
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- Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman
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- Linklaters
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- Moore & Van Allen
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- Nexsen Pruet
- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,
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