Latham & Watkins has broken the $1bn (£562.4m) revenue barrier – matching the profits of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters along the way – as London’s top law firms prepare to be eclipsed by another record-breaking year for US rivals.

The Los Angeles-based giant leads the charge of US firms preparing to announce double-digit growth for 2003, with global revenues for Lathams hitting $1.032bn (£565.8m), up by 14% from 2002′s tally of $906m (£496.7m).