Firm Profiles
IN-DEPTH RESEARCH REPORT
on Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
- - Financial Information
- - Compensation
- - Billing Rates
- - Lateral Partner Moves
- - Pro bono
- - Key Contacts
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan
- Designation: Atlanta
- Head Count: 387
- Gross Revenues: $314,500,000
- Revenue Per Lawyer: $815,000
- Profits Per Partner: $1,045,000
- Year Over Year Change: 1
Founded in Atlanta in 1924, Sutherland grew to distinction on one big insight: whatever else corporate clients might want, they’d always need sophisticated tax advice, both in the south and in Washington, D.C., where the firm opened in 1937. Two of its partners went on to head the IRS and over time the firm spread its reach to add a broad menu of big firm services including: corporate, energy and environmental, financial services, intellectual property, litigation and real estate. It also offers—rather uniquely among the Am Law 100—a crisis management team, to help clients respond to emergencies stemming from external disasters or internal problems.
Despite its early expansion to Washington, Sutherland counts just five offices including small outposts in New York and Houston. The firm has worked to maintain a cohesive culture. Sutherland did take a hit during the recession, seeing its revenues drop by some $20 million between 2007 and 2009 (a fair chunk of its then $289 million revenue). And its lawyer roster also contracted during that time, decreasing by some 50 lawyers (some of whom had been laid off by Sutherland in April 2008). But by the end of 2010, revenue and profits had recovered.
On diversity, Sutherland lags far behind the industry leaders. It ranked 140th of 194 firms on The American Lawyer’s 2011 Diversity Scorecard: Just 10 percent of the firm’s roughly 400 lawyers (and less than 5 percent of the partnership) are minorities. Pro bono work comes in around the average.
Sutherland ranked 105th of 200 firms on our 2011 Pro Bono Report, with attorneys averaging some 33 hours of nonpaying work. But progress may be apace when it comes to junior lawyers’ satisfaction. Sutherland ranked in the bottom half of firms on The American Lawyer’s 2010 Midlevel Associates Survey, but finished in the top third in 2011.
—Updated as of 1/1/12
Firm Rankings
| Survey | Rank | Year Over Year Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am Law 100 | 98 | 1 | Gross revenue |
| Am Law 200 | 98 | 1 | Gross revenue |
| NLJ 250 | 116 | no change | Lawyer head count |
| The A-List | NR | N/A | Overall excellence |
| Pro Bono Scorecard | 105 | 56 | Pro-bono commitment |
| Diversity Scorecard | 120 | no change | Minority head count |
| Midlevel Associates Survey | 38 | 32 | Job satisfaction |
| Summer Associates Survey | 44 | 34 | Summer programs |
In the News
Judges Chime in on Proposed E-Discovery Amendments
Monica Bay : Law Technology News : May 20, 2013
Nothing draws a crowd of lawyers like the chance to listen to judges, especially when the agenda includes the likes of United States District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin and Magistrate Judge James Francis IV , both of the Second District of New York, and Circuit Judge Peter Flynn, Circuit Court of Cooke County, Chancery Division, Illinois State Courts.
Sutherland Partner Gets 9-0 SCOTUS Win
Alyson M. Palmer : Daily Report : May 15, 2013
Atlanta lawyer Thomas Byrne (above) is claiming victory in his first outing to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Judges Chime In on Proposed E-Discovery Amendments
Monica Bay : New Jersey Law Journal : May 15, 2013
Three federal judges — Shira Scheindlin, James Francis and Peter Flynn — were in high gear on May 1st, at an entertaining and innovative program entitled: "A Consortium on Litigation, Information Law & E-Discovery." Highlights of the event are covered here, including a discussion of proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
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.
12 on 12: Tech Gifts for Mom
Monica Bay : Law Technology News : May 10, 2013
Mother's Day is a great opportunity to treat your favorite mom to a new tech experience.
Judges Chime In on Proposed E-Discovery Amendments
Monica Bay : Law Technology News : May 3, 2013
Nothing draws a crowd of lawyers together like technology and the chance to listen to federal judges discuss changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, especially when they're all provocative speakers brought together with the help of Cisco's Telepresence video conferencing.
Self-Reporting Suspicious Money Laundering Activity
John H. Walsh : Corporate Counsel : May 1, 2013
With greater anti-money laundering oversight clearly on the horizon, legal and compliance staff need to think about perhaps the most sensitive compliance obligation under the existing AML rules: self-reporting.
Reverse Commute
Elliott Hurwitt : Corporate Counsel : May 1, 2013
MOVERS
: The National Law Journal : April 22, 2013
George Joseph has been elected managing partner of Nossaman. He succeeds Michael Heumann, who will continue his litigation practice. Plus more law firm movers in this week's column.
- Adams and Reese
- Anderson Kill & Olick
- Arent Fox
- Arthur Cox
- Baker & McKenzie
- Buist Moore
- Chadbourne & Parke
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Clifford Chance
- Cooley
- Covington & Burling
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- Davis Polk & Wardwell
- Dewey & LeBoeuf
- Dickstein Shapiro
- DLA Piper
- Duane Morris
- Eversheds
- Fish & Richardson
- Freehills
- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
- Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian
- Heller Ehrman
- Herbert Smith
- Howrey
- Irwin Mitchell
- Jenner & Block
- K&L Gates
- Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Latham & Watkins
- Linklaters
- Mallesons Stephen Jaques
- Minter Ellison
- Moore & Van Allen
- Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
- Nexsen Pruet
- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
- Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
- Perkins Coie
- Proskauer Rose
- Reed Smith
- Ropes & Gray
- Ruden McClosky
- Shearman & Sterling
- Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
- Slaughter and May
- Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
- Sullivan & Cromwell
- Vinson & Elkins
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges
- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
- Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
