There are lots of completely different and thrilling methods to rank legislation companies. How prestigious are they? How a lot cash are they making? How a lot take-home money do companions earn? How massive are they?
Sure, measurement continues to matter with regards to Biglaw, and fortunately, the New York Regulation Journal lately unleashed its annual NYLJ 100, a rating of the most important legislation companies in New York overlaying the earlier calendar 12 months. As luck would have it, many Biglaw companies elevated their New York Metropolis headcounts in 2024, and as traditional the highest companies within the metropolis netted a rise in attorneys over their 2023 numbers. Should you’ve ever puzzled about headcounts, that is the rating for you.
In complete, about 12,000 attorneys have been working within the New York places of work of the state’s 20 largest legislation companies final 12 months. In truth, nearly all of those legislation companies noticed a headcount enhance of some kind — highlighting that New York legislation companies are nonetheless in progress mode.
The highest 10 largest companies (numbers present attorneys in New York) should not stunning. Let’s take a second to gawk at Manhattan’s Biglaw behemoths:
1. Kirkland & Ellis: 969
2. Paul, Weiss: 925
3. Davis Polk: 865
4. Simpson Thacher: 789
5. Latham & Watkins: 770
6. Debevoise & Plimpton: 667
7. Skadden: 649
8. Weil Gotshal: 598
9. Sullivan & Cromwell: 564
10. Milbank: 504
10. Fried Frank: 504
Congratulations as soon as once more to Kirkland for using extra legal professionals in New York than every other agency. This agency wins the award for placing the “massive” in Biglaw within the Large Apple.
Head to the NYLJ when you’re curious concerning the companies ranked 11-100.
Top 25 New York Law Firms by Headcount [New York Law Journal]
NYLJ 100: The New Titans of New York [New York Law Journal]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Regulation, the place she’s labored since 2011. She’d love to listen to from you, so please be at liberty to email her with any ideas, questions, feedback, or critiques. You possibly can observe her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or join along with her on LinkedIn.
