US firms appear to have withstood the toughest corporate market for nearly a decade largely unscathed, as research published this month shows the majority of top American firms increased their profitability in 2001.

The American Lawyer survey of the top 100 firms’ financial results, published this month, also shows most firms in the major legal centres of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles racking up double-digit growth in fee income in 2001 with the top 10 firms by revenue between them averaging 12.3% growth.