The Global 100 charts rank the world's largest law firms by revenue, head count and profits per partner.
We compile the charts in cooperation with Legal Week in London. 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 American law firms, but we've taken steps to level the playing field. Firms are eligible for placement on the Most Revenue chart, the Most Lawyers chart, or both.
A total of 113 firms are included on our global charts. Here's how we came up with the largest global law firms:
MOST REVENUE: This chart ranks firms by gross revenue for their most recently completed fiscal year. They are the world's 100 highest-grossing law firms. Revenue and revenue per lawyer figures for U.S.-based law firms are obtained from The Am Law 100, except where otherwise noted. Revenue figures for law firms in Europe are from Legal Week. Australian and Canadian firms were surveyed by The American Lawyer. Revenue figures for all overseas firms are converted to dollars using the average annual conversion rate as published by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Revenue figures are rounded to the nearest $500,000.
MOST LAWYERS: This chart ranks firms by the average number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) lawyers at the firm in its most recent fiscal year. The firms on this chart are the world's 100 largest; most (but not all) qualify for the Most Revenue chart. Firms are identified as international if 40 percent or more of their lawyers are working 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. Firms with more than one office but less than 1 percent of lawyers outside their home country are given a less than 1 percent designation. The geographic breakdown comes from the 2006 National Law Journal survey of the 250 largest U.S. firms, or the firm's Web site.
MOST PROFITS PER PARTNER: Only firms included on both the Most Revenue and Most Lawyers charts qualify for this chart, in which firms are ranked by profits per equity partner for the most recent fiscal year.
