AmLaw 200 - Profits Per Partner Adjusted for Cost of Living


The Cost of Living: What's That Draw Worth in New York? Are New York big-firm partners really that much better off? Using New York dollars as the base rate and a cost-of-living calculator developed by www.homefair.com, we've computed the relative values of firms' average partner distributions. The results may surprise. Wachtell, of course, stays near the top. But is that Vinson & Elkins besting Skadden Arps? Could it be that you're actually better off financially at Hunton & Williams than at Shearman & Sterling? Hey, we just do the math. Main offices listed on Martindale-Hubbell online were used to determine exchange rates. Profits per partner measures net operating income, minus compensation for nonequity partners, divided by the number of equity partners. Names in bold denote firms ranked 101 - 200 by gross revenue. One other thing: Next time you're in New York, dinner at Le Cirque 2000 is on you.

Profits Per Partner Adjusted For Cost Of Living

Rank	Firm	Adjusted Profits Per Partner	Profits Per Partner
1	Robins Kaplan Minneapolis	$8,385,975	$3,055,000
2	Wachtell New York	$3,385,000	$3,385,000
3	Kirkland & Ellis Chicago	$2,146,680	$1,340,000
4	Cravath New York	$2,110,000	$2,110,000
5	Latham & Watkins Los Angeles	$2,033,115	$1,005,000
6	Jones Day Cleveland	$1,959,520	$740,000
7	King & Spalding Atlanta	$1,950,410	$770,000
8	Swidler Berlin Washington, D.C.	$1,916,800	$800,000
9	Gibson Dunn Los Angeles	$1,830,815	$905,000
10	Sullivan & Cromwell New York	$1,790,000	$1,790,000
11	Vinson & Elkins Houston	$1,750,905	$585,000
12	Andrews & Kurth Houston	$1,735,940	$580,000
13	Cahill Gordon New York	$1,710,000	$1,710,000
14	Simpson Thacher New York	$1,655,000	$1,655,000
15	Davis Polk New York	$1,610,000	$1,610,000
16	Skadden Arps New York	$1,600,000	$1,600,000
17	Baker Botts Houston	$1,511,465	$505,000
18	Arnold & Porter Washington, D.C.	$1,509,480	$630,000
19	Williams & Connolly Washington, D.C.	$1,497,500	$625,000
20	O'Melveny & Myers Los Angeles	$1,497,020	$740,000
21	Greenberg Traurig Miami	$1,475,595	$605,000
22	Alston & Bird Atlanta	$1,469,140	$580,000
23	Fulbright & Jaworski Houston	$1,466,570	$490,000
24	Akin, Gump Dallas	$1,455,480	$585,000
25	Brobeck Phleger San Francisco	$1,426,995	$855,000
26	Howrey & Simon² Washington, D.C.	$1,377,700	$575,000
27	Paul Hastings Los Angeles	$1,365,525	$675,000
28	Dechert Price Philadelphia	$1,351,980	$580,000
29	Munger Tolles Los Angeles	$1,335,180	$660,000
30	Jenkens & Gilchrist Dallas	$1,318,640	$530,000
31	Finnegan Henderson Washington, D.C.	$1,317,800	$550,000
32	Shook Hardy Kansas City, MO	$1,302,465	$465,000
33	Graham & James San Francisco	$1,293,475	$775,000
34	Hogan & Hartson Washington, D.C.	$1,281,860	$535,000
35	Milbank Tweed New York	$1,275,000	$1,275,000
36	Goodwin Procter Boston	$1,273,375	$835,000
37	Covington & Burling Washington, D.C.	$1,269,880	$530,000
37	Wilmer Cutler Washington, D.C.	$1,269,880	$530,000
39	Dickstein Shapiro Washington, D.C.	$1,257,900	$525,000
40	McDermott Will Chicago	$1,257,570	$785,000
41	Patton Boggs Washington, D.C.	$1,245,920	$520,000
42	Irell & Manella Los Angeles	$1,244,145	$615,000
43	Haynes and Boone Dallas	$1,244,000	$500,000
44	Sutherland Asbill Atlanta	$1,241,170	$490,000
45	Shaw Pittman Washington, D.C.	$1,233,940	$515,000
46	Hunton & Williams Richmond	$1,231,120	$440,000
47	Cleary, Gottlieb New York	$1,225,000	$1,225,000
47	Debevoise & Plimpton New York	$1,225,000	$1,225,000
49	Bingham Dana Boston	$1,220,000	$800,000
50	Crowell & Moring Washington, D.C.	$1,198,000	$500,000
51	Steel Hector Miami	$1,195,110	$490,000
52	Bryan Cave St. Louis	$1,193,885	$385,000
53	Wiley, Rein Washington, D.C.	$1,186,020	$495,000
54	Morgan Lewis Philadelphia	$1,177,155	$505,000
55	Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe¹	$1,165,500	$500,000
56	Testa Hurwitz Boston	$1,159,000	$760,000
57	McCarter & English Newark	$1,158,420	$430,000
58	Bracewell & Patterson Houston	$1,152,305	$385,000
59	Squire Sanders Cleveland	$1,151,880	$435,000
60	Honigman Miller Detroit	$1,148,400	$360,000
61	Winston & Strawn Chicago	$1,145,430	$715,000
62	Ropes & Gray Boston	$1,143,750	$750,000
63	Long Aldridge Atlanta	$1,139,850	$450,000
64	Shearman & Sterling New York	$1,135,000	$1,135,000
65	Snell & Wilmer Phoenix	$1,133,650	$410,000
66	Hale and Dorr Boston	$1,128,500	$740,000
67	Holland & Knight Tampa	$1,121,800	$395,000
68	Mayer Brown Chicago	$1,113,390	$695,000
69	Cooley Godward San Francisco	$1,109,885	$665,000
70	Orrick Herrington San Francisco	$1,101,540	$660,000
71	Willkie Farr New York	$1,100,000	$1,100,000
72	Edwards & Angell Providence	$1,090,760	$370,000
73	Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Pittsburgh	$1,067,220	$385,000
74	Arnold White³ Houston	$1,062,515	$355,000
75	Foley & Lardner Milwaukee	$1,057,540	$380,000
76	Hughes & Luce Dallas	$1,057,400	$425,000
77	Paul Weiss New York	$1,050,000	$1,050,000
77	Rogers & Wells⁴ New York	$1,050,000	$1,050,000
79	Moore & Van Allen Charlotte	$1,049,625	$375,000
80	Steptoe & Johnson Washington, D.C.	$1,042,260	$435,000
81	Buchanan Ingersoll Pittsburgh	$1,039,500	$375,000
82	Miller Canfield Detroit	$1,036,750	$325,000
83	Katten Muchin Chicago	$1,017,270	$635,000
84	Morrison & Foerster San Francisco	$1,009,745	$605,000
85	Day, Berry Hartford	$1,009,080	$360,000
86	Gardere & Wynne Dallas	$1,007,640	$405,000
87	Wilson Sonsini Palo Alto	$1,007,010	$835,000
88	Nelson Mullins Columbia, SC	$985,600	$350,000
89	Nixon Peabody Rochester	$981,540	$380,000
90	Sheppard Mullin Los Angeles	$981,155	$485,000
91	Weil Gotshal New York	$980,000	$980,000
92	Akerman Senterfitt Orlando	$972,725	$325,000
93	Gray Cary San Diego	$967,500	$450,000
94	Mintz Levin Boston	$953,125	$625,000
95	Dewey Ballantine New York	$950,000	$950,000
96	Kilpatrick Stockton Atlanta	$937,210	$370,000
96	Powell, Goldstein Atlanta	$937,210	$370,000
98	Cadwalader New York	$935,000	$935,000
99	Reed Smith Pittsburgh	$928,620	$335,000
100	Sidley & Austin Chicago	$921,150	$575,000
101	Venable Baetjer Baltimore	$913,192	$360,000
102	Ice Miller Indianapolis	$911,360	$320,000
103	Locke Liddell Dallas	$908,120	$365,000
104	Baker & Hostetler Cleveland	$900,320	$340,000
105	Troutman Sanders Atlanta	$899,215	$355,000
106	Cozen and O'Connor Philadelphia	$897,435	$385,000
107	Winstead Sechrest Dallas	$870,800	$350,000
108	Manatt Phelps Los Angeles	$869,890	$430,000
109	Barnes & Thornburg Indianapolis	$868,640	$305,000
110	Dorsey & Whitney Minneapolis	$864,675	$315,000
111	Thompson & Knight Dallas	$858,360	$345,000
112	Fried Frank New York	$855,000	$855,000
113	Blank Rome⁵ Philadelphia	$850,815	$365,000
114	Baker Donelson Memphis	$845,640	$290,000
115	McCutchen Doyle San Francisco	$842,845	$505,000
115	Pillsbury Madison San Francisco	$842,845	$505,000
117	Arent Fox Washington, D.C.	$838,600	$350,000
117	McKenna & Cuneo Washington, D.C.	$838,600	$350,000
119	Michael Best Minneapolis	$834,900	$300,000
120	Womble Carlyle Winston-Salem, NC	$828,000	$345,000
121	McGuire Woods Richmond	$825,410	$295,000
122	Schulte Roth New York	$825,000	$825,000
123	Jackson Walker Dallas	$821,040	$330,000
124	Loeb & Loeb Los Angeles	$819,315	$405,000
125	Preston Gates Seattle	$817,695	$405,000
126	Altheimer & Gray Chicago	$817,020	$510,000
127	Choate Hall Boston	$815,875	$535,000
128	Ballard Spahr Philadelphia	$815,850	$350,000
128	Schnader Harrison Philadelphia	$815,850	$350,000
130	Chadbourne & Parke New York	$815,000	$815,000
131	Dykema Gossett Detroit	$813,450	$255,000
132	Duane Morris Philadelphia	$804,195	$345,000
133	Brown & Wood New York	$800,000	$800,000
134	Stoel Rives Portland, OR	$788,370	$330,000
135	Fish & Richardson New York	$785,375	$515,000
136	Heller Ehrman San Francisco	$784,430	$470,000
137	Pennie & Edmonds New York	$780,000	$780,000
138	Fenwick & West Palo Alto	$777,870	$645,000
139	Baker & McKenzie Chicago	$776,970	$485,000
140	Thelen Reid San Francisco	$776,085	$465,000
141	Drinker Biddle Philadelphia	$769,230	$330,000
142	Faegre & Benson Minneapolis	$768,600	$280,000
143	Thompson Hine Cleveland	$767,920	$290,000
144	Baker & Daniels Indianapolis	$754,720	$265,000
145	Quarles & Brady Milwaukee	$751,410	$270,000
146	Eckert Seamans Pittsburgh	$748,440	$270,000
147	Thompson Coburn St. Louis	$744,240	$240,000
148	Blackwell Sanders Kansas City, MO	$742,265	$265,000
149	Luce, Forward San Diego	$741,750	$345,000
150	Proskauer Rose New York	$740,000	$740,000
151	Chapman and Cutler Chicago	$736,920	$460,000
152	Pepper Hamilton Philadelphia	$734,265	$315,000
153	White & Case New York	$725,000	$725,000
154	Perkins Coie Seattle	$716,745	$355,000
155	Oppenheimer Wolff Minneapolis	$713,700	$260,000
156	Kramer Levin New York	$710,000	$710,000
157	Kutak Rock Omaha	$704,500	$250,000
158	Fish & Neave New York	$700,000	$700,000
159	Smith Helms Charlotte	$699,750	$250,000
160	Wolf Block Philadelphia	$699,300	$300,000
161	Jenner & Block Chicago	$696,870	$435,000
162	Kaye Scholer New York	$690,000	$690,000
163	Arter & Hadden Cleveland	$688,480	$260,000
164	Crosby Heafey Oakland	$675,850	$350,000
165	Porter Wright Columbus	$666,570	$255,000
166	Curtis Mallet-Prevost New York	$655,000	$655,000
167	Schiff Hardin Chicago	$640,800	$400,000
168	Holland & Hart Denver	$633,920	$280,000
169	Stroock & Stroock New York	$630,000	$630,000
170	LeBoeuf Lamb New York	$620,000	$620,000
171	Jackson Lewis White Plains, NY	$618,450	$350,000
172	Palmer & Dodge Boston	$617,625	$405,000
173	Foley Hoag Boston	$610,000	$400,000
174	Seyfarth Shaw Chicago	$608,760	$380,000
175	Gardner Carton Chicago	$600,750	$375,000
176	Sonnenschein Chicago	$592,740	$370,000
176	Vedder\ Price Chicago	$592,740	$370,000
178	Sedgwick Detert San Francisco	$592,495	$355,000
179	Cummings & Lockwood Stamford, CT	$579,150	$330,000
180	Bell Boyd Chicago	$576,720	$360,000
181	Kelley Drye New York	$575,000	$575,000
182	Vorys Sater Columbus	$562,010	$215,000
183	Littler Mendelson San Francisco	$550,770	$330,000
184	Patterson Belknap New York	$550,000	$550,000
185	Lane Powell Seattle	$545,130	$270,000
186	Saul Ewing Philadelphia	$536,130	$230,000
187	Davis Wright Seattle	$535,035	$265,000
188	Holme Roberts Denver	$520,720	$230,000
189	Winthrop Stimson New York	$520,000	$520,000
190	Lord Bissell Chicago	$504,630	$315,000
191	Kenyon & Kenyon New York	$500,000	$500,000
192	Thacher Proffitt New York	$480,000	$480,000
193	Rosenman & Colin New York	$470,000	$470,000
194	Hinshaw & Culbertson Chicago	$456,570	$285,000
195	Hughes Hubbard New York	$450,000	$450,000
196	Battle Fowler⁶ New York	$430,000	$430,000
197	Coudert Brothers New York	$425,000	$425,000
198	Whitman Breed New York	$400,000	$400,000
199	Epstein Becker New York	$355,000	$355,000
200	Wilson Elser New York	$270,000	$270,000
1 Piper Marbury is a national firm, as are many firms on this list. Piper Marbury claims an equal main office presence in Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., but Martindale-Hubbell lists Philadelphia as the firm's main office. 2 Firm has since merged with Arnold White & Durkee. 3 Firm has since merged with Howrey & Simon. 4 Firm has since merged with Clifford Chance. 5 Firm has since merged with Tenzer Greenblatt. 6 Firm has since merged with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker.

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