The Global 100 chart package ranks the world’s largest law firms by revenue (Most Revenue), head count (Most Lawyers), profits per partner (Most Profits Per Partner), revenue per lawyer (Most Revenue Per Lawyer), and most percentage of lawyers based outside of a firm’s home country (Most Global). Firms are eligible for placement on the Most Revenue chart, the Most Lawyers chart, or both. A total of 119 firms are included on our global charts. Most firms provide their financials voluntarily. Some refuse to cooperate. All information, whether it is volunteered by the firm or not, is investigated by our reporters. Foreign law firms differ in structure from U.S. law firms, but we have taken steps to level the playing field. Here is how we come up with our lists:
Most Revenue [See chart.]This chart ranks firms by gross revenue for their most recently completed fiscal year. It is a list of the world’s 100 highest-grossing law firms. Revenue figures are rounded to the nearest $500,000. Financial information for U.S.–based law firms is obtained from The Am Law 100 reporting. All other firms were surveyed directly. Revenue figures for all non–U.S. firms (except vereins) are converted to U.S. dollars using the average annual conversion rate in 2012 as published by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Most Lawyers [See chart.] This chart ranks firms by the average number of full-time-equivalent lawyers at the firm in the 2012 calendar year. The firms on this chart are the world’s 100 largest. Firms are identified as international if 40 percent or more of their lawyers work outside their home country. Firms identified as national have no more than 45 percent of their lawyers located in one region of their home country. The home country designation of international, verein, and EEIG firms is based on which country contains the most lawyers. Firms with offices in more than one country with less than 1 percent of lawyers outside their home country are given a “<1 percent” designation. The geographic breakdown comes from the 2013 National Law Journal survey of the 350 largest U.S. firms or from the firms directly if they are not included in that report.
Most Profits Per Partner [See chart.] Firms included on the Most Revenue and/or Most Lawyers charts qualify for this chart, in which the top 100 firms are ranked by profits per equity partner for the most recent fiscal year. Profits per equity partner are rounded to the nearest $5,000.
Most Revenue Per Lawyer [See chart.] Firms included on the Most Revenue chart are ranked by the revenue generated per lawyer for the most recent fiscal year. Revenue per lawyer is calculated by dividing gross revenue by the number of lawyers. Revenue per lawyer is rounded to the nearest $5,000.
Most Global [See chart.] Firms included on the Most Revenue and/or most Lawyers charts are included on this chart. The number of lawyers listed is the average full-time equivalent for the 2012 calendar year. Firms are designated as international if 40 percent or more of their lawyers work outside the home country. Firms are designated national if no more than 45 percent of their lawyers are in one region. The home country designation of international, verein, and EEIG firms is based on which country contains the most lawyers. The geographic breakdown comes from the 2013 National Law Journal survey of the 350 largest U.S. firms or from the firms directly if they are not included in that report.
