Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft has announced a 28% surge in partner profits as the New York firm sets the pace for a year of blistering financial results from top East Coast firms.

Figures released to Legal Week show the firm’s average partner profits in 2003 rising to $1,595m (£881,000), against $1,250m (£690,000) the previous year. At the same time, revenue increased by 12% to $353m (£195m).