Firm Profiles
IN-DEPTH RESEARCH REPORT
on Hunton & Williams LLP
- - Financial Information
- - Compensation
- - Billing Rates
- - Lateral Partner Moves
- - Pro bono
- - Key Contacts
Hunton & Williams
- Designation: National
- Head Count: 739
- Gross Revenues: $557,000,000
- Revenue Per Lawyer: $755,000
- Profits Per Partner: $825,000
- Year Over Year Change: 8
When it opened its doors in 1901, Hunton & Williams was, with just four lawyers, the largest firm in Richmond. It has grown a bit since then: Hunton now has some 850 lawyers and ranks solidly on The Am Law 100. Although it is a full–service firm, Hunton has particular strengths in energy and utility law—a practice the firm has developed over the course of a century. It represents a broad array of electric utilities, oil and gas companies, and investors and developers in energy–related initiatives across the globe (the firm is well–known for its energy project financing work).
Hunton’s transactional practices have handled some big–ticket assignments over the years as well. The firm represented Altria Group, Inc., in its $113 billion spin–off from Philip Morris International, Inc., as well as its $61.6 billion acquisition of Kraft Foods Inc. Hunton also served as antitrust adviser to Delta Air Lines, Inc., in its $17.8 billion acquisition of Northwest Airlines Corporation.
While Hunton’s revenues give it a Top 50 spot on The Am Law 100, the firm falls further down the chart when it comes to other financial metrics. Average partner compensation regularly ranks just inside the top 100. Profits per partner typically rank even lower. The firm has been a big proponent of expansion through lateral hires, picking up 107 equity partners, along with 282 associates and counsel, between 2006 and 2008 alone (although it later laid off dozens of associates and staff when the economic crisis hit). The addition of 93 lawyers from now–defunct Jenkens & Gilchrist in April 2007 made Hunton one of the largest non–Texas firms in Dallas. The firm also has a strong presence in the southeastern United States, along with offices in key markets like New York, Washington D.C., London, Tokyo, and Brussels.
While Hunton receives strong marks for its pro bono work—ranking twenty–sixth of 200 firms on The American Lawyer’s 2011 pro bono rankings (notably, 100 percent of lawyers put in pro bono hours)—Hunton’s diversity record is somewhat less impressive: It came in ninety–eighth of 194 firms in 2011 on our Diversity Scorecard (just over 12 percent of U.S. attorneys are minorities).
—Updated as of 1/1/12
Firm Rankings
| Survey | Rank | Year Over Year Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am Law 100 | 57 | 8 | Gross revenue |
| Am Law 200 | 57 | 8 | Gross revenue |
| NLJ 250 | 46 | 14 | Lawyer head count |
| The A-List | NR | N/A | Overall excellence |
| Pro Bono Scorecard | 26 | 1 | Pro-bono commitment |
| Diversity Scorecard | 96 | 2 | Minority head count |
| Midlevel Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Job satisfaction |
| Summer Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Summer programs |
In the News
In-House Law: Now in 3-D!
Shannon Green : Corporate Counsel : May 21, 2013
The only constant in the high-tech world is change, and nobody knows that better than 3D Systems General Counsel Andrew Johnson.
Personal Notes on Lawyers
: New York Law Journal : May 20, 2013
Five firms announce the addition of new partners, along with other moves, promotions and honors.
Personal Notes on Lawyers
: New York Law Journal : May 15, 2013
Brent Lewis has joined the structured finance and securitization practice at Hunton & Williams as of counsel, while Robert Trainor has joined Covington & Burling as senior of counsel in the life sciences practice, and more.
The Churn: Lateral Moves in The Am Law 200
Diane Jeantet : The Am Law Daily : May 14, 2013
Dickstein Shapiro loses a partner to Jones Day in Washington, D.C.; Bryan Cave poaches five attorneys from Sutherland Asbill & Brennan; and a former Dewey & LeBoeuf partner, most recently with Linklaters, joins KPMG. The Churn is constant. Please send all announcements to thechurn@alm.com.
Surging U.S. IPO Market Yields Gains for Cooley, Hunton
Brian Baxter : The Am Law Daily : May 14, 2013
U.S. companies have already raised $16.8 billion through initial public offerings so far this year and several Am Law 100 firms are reaping the benefits.
Outsourcing Group Jumps to Bryan Cave
Meredith Hobbs : Daily Report : May 9, 2013
An eight-person outsourcing practice group has left Sutherland for Bryan Cave. Scott Hobby, Derek Johnston, Charles Hollis and Sean Christy join Bryan Cave as partners. Hobby, who started out at Bryan Cave predecessor firm Powell Goldstein in 1973, said Bryan Cave's larger size nationally and broader client base offered greater opportunities.
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.
VOLS Firms Meet Pro Bono 2012 Pledge
Bill Lienhard : New York Law Journal : May 3, 2013
Big Ideas About Big Data Prompt Move to Kilpatrick
Meredith Hobbs : Daily Report : May 1, 2013
Jon Neiditz and Amanda Witt have joined Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton as partners from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, in a move to address the rapidly developing legal areas of information security and big data.
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- Arthur Cox
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- Brown Rudnick
- Buist Moore
- Cahill Gordon & Reindel
- Chadbourne & Parke
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Clifford Chance
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- Covington & Burling
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- Dewey & LeBoeuf
- Diamond McCarthy
- Dickstein Shapiro
- DLA Piper
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- Eversheds
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- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
- Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian
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- Linklaters
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- McKool Smith
- Minter Ellison
- Moore & Van Allen
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
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- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Nexsen Pruet
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- Proskauer Rose
- Reed Smith
- Ropes & Gray
- Ruden McClosky
- Shea & Gould
- Shearman & Sterling
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- Simmons & Simmons
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Slaughter and May
- Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
- Sullivan & Cromwell
- Vinson & Elkins
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- Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
