When the first issue of The American Lawyer was published in 1979, it represented a shock to the system. In its early years, it seemed to draw fans and critics in equal measure for its unsparing coverage of the legal industry’s ups and downs and, before long, its financial health. Forty years later, we’re still here, writing about shifts both subtle and dramatic within law firms, reporting on the trends that define the business of law, and publishing financial data that goes deeper than ever.

To celebrate our 40th anniversary, we used the occasion to take stock of the incredible evolution the industry has undergone over the course of four decades and sneak a look into the future to anticipate what’s in store. We did so with gratitude for the readers who have helped to keep us running all these years—especially those who have been here from the start—and high hopes for the magazine’s future.

Since The American Lawyer was founded in 1979, we’ve tracked the legal profession as it turned into an industry.
Few could have anticipated the dramatic shift in scope and scale the industry has undergone since The American Lawyer’s founding 40 years ago. We asked some of the law’s brightest thinkers what we can expect over the next 10.
How much have firm revenue, profits and head count changed over the years? More than you might think.
Transparency, the pace of practice and the presence of technology are among the most notable shifts, according to the lawyers we asked.
From mergers and laterals to ALSPs and the A-List, these are the dominant storylines we’ve covered since 1979.
For 40 years, relationships have driven the legal industry, Gina Passarella writes.