Firm Profiles
IN-DEPTH RESEARCH REPORT
on Williams & Connolly LLP
- - Financial Information
- - Compensation
- - Billing Rates
- - Lateral Partner Moves
- - Pro bono
- - Key Contacts
Williams & Connolly
- Designation: Washington, D.C.
- Head Count: 271
- Gross Revenues: $330,500,000
- Revenue Per Lawyer: $1,220,000
- Profits Per Partner: $1,255,000
- Year Over Year Change: no change
When this firm says it is based in Washington, D.C., it really means it: There are no other offices. Every attorney on Williams & Connolly’s roster is based in the nation’s capital. And when the firm says it is focused on litigation, particularly the high–stakes stuff, it means that, too. Williams & Connolly represented President Bill Clinton in his impeachment trial, represented Oliver North during the Iran–Contra scandal, and served as national coordinating counsel for the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., Inc., in litigation over its anti–inflammation drug, Vioxx.
Founded in 1967 by the larger–than–life litigator Edward Bennett Williams, the firm was a finalist in The American Lawyer’s Litigation Department of the Year competition in 2002 and 2008, and earned an honorable mention in 2010 (the contest is held every two years). Williams & Connolly handles both civil and criminal work, has a strong products liability and intellectual property bench and, across the board, is famous for its full preparation and, when need be, a ferocious defense.
It is also well known for promoting from within. Williams & Connolly has never taken much of a liking to hiring laterals, and almost every partner in the firm has come up through the ranks. Revenue per lawyer has traditionally been high and has landed Williams & Connolly within the top ten firms on multiple occasions. With its litigation–centric focus, Williams managed to avoid the hit many transactional–heavy firms took during the recession, and saw its revenues rise steadily (if not dramatically) through the downturn.
Like a number of its D.C.–based brethren, Williams scores well on pro bono: It ranked thirtieth of 200 firms in The American Lawyer’s 2011 Pro Bono Report, with lawyers averaging around 105 hours of nonpaying work. The firm also scores above average on diversity (sixty–fourth of 194 firms on our 2011 scorecard), with minorities comprising about 10 percent of the firm’s U.S. partnership or, in other words, 10 percent of its Washington partnership.
—Updated as of 1/1/12
Firm Rankings
| Survey | Rank | Year Over Year Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am Law 100 | 90 | no change | Gross revenue |
| Am Law 200 | 90 | no change | Gross revenue |
| NLJ 250 | 161 | 2 | Lawyer head count |
| The A-List | NR | N/A | Overall excellence |
| Pro Bono Scorecard | 30 | 27 | Pro-bono commitment |
| Diversity Scorecard | NR | N/A | Minority head count |
| Midlevel Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Job satisfaction |
| Summer Associates Survey | NR | N/A | Summer programs |
In the News
Greenberg Traurig Lobbyist's Disclosure Questioned
Todd Ruger and Andrew Ramonas : Legal Times : April 18, 2013
A Greenberg Traurig lobbyist is at the center of a U.S. senator's investigation into how "political intelligence" can affect markets. The inquiry includes an examination of the lobbyist's email about a dramatic change in government's health care policy more than an hour before it was announced.
Married Lawyers on Moving From Big Firm to Boutique Law
Susan Hansen : Corporate Counsel : April 9, 2013
With two busy practices and double-barreled earnings power, David and Courtney Angeli would be prime candidates for any list of Portland, Oregon-area "power couples." They certainly qualify as a "power legal couple."
Married Lawyers on Moving From Big Firm to Boutique Law
Susan Hansen : Corporate Counsel : April 9, 2013
With two busy practices and double-barreled earnings power, David and Courtney Angeli would be prime candidates for any list of Portland, Oregon-area "power couples." They certainly qualify as a "power legal couple."
Ex-Clients Sue Hogan Lovells Over $36 Million Loss
Matthew Huisman : Legal Times : April 3, 2013
Hogan Lovells is being sued by two Montgomery County, Md. landowners who allege the law firm's advice led to a $36 million jury verdict against them.
The Score: Dewey's Football Bills, March Madness, and Opening Day
Brian Baxter : The Am Law Daily : April 3, 2013
In our latest look at sports and the law, The Am Law Daily does some spring cleaning by tracking down the legal fees accrued by the National Football League Players Association in its collective bargaining battle with owners in 2011; catching up with one of the NCAA's top outside litigators from Schiff Hardin; and looking at the lawyers staying busy for Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees.
15 Banks Charge Cote Is Forcing Settlement With Federal Agency
Jan Wolfe : The Litigation Daily : April 1, 2013
According to the banks in a legal battle with the conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, if they end up settling, it's not because their opponents have a strong case, it's because Southern District Judge Denise Cote is determined to cripple their defense.
Yours, Mine & Theirs
Susan Hansen : Corporate Counsel : April 1, 2013
How two divorced lawyers met at a big firm, then went off to form small ones.
Deals & Suits
: Corporate Counsel : April 1, 2013
Williams & Connolly Sues Bank Regulator Over Foreclosure Review Information
Jenna Greene : Legal Times : March 29, 2013
In a bid for more information about how consultants landed lucrative contracts to review bank foreclosures, Williams & Connolly filed a Freedom of Information Act suit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on behalf of an unnamed client.
Williams & Connolly Sues Bank Regulator Over Foreclosure Review Information
Jenna Greene : The National Law Journal : March 29, 2013
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