Law is a big service-based business. Business, finance, taxation, litigation, corporate affairs, conflicts, patents, copyrights, antitrust, property, labor, arbitration, as well as administrative, political, and social matters all require law expertise. While there are other criteria to rank law firms—such as revenue per partner or lawyer, the number of lawyers, or year-over-year percent growth—annual revenue remains the most accurate, consistent, and easy to follow.
Here’s a list of the top 10 law firms in the world, based on the 2023 Global 200 rankings published by Law.com.1 Note that while this list follows the Global 200 rankings, some of the later entries may appear to be slightly out of order due to different revenue estimates on Law.com and the firms’ own websites.
1. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP serves corporate clients across the corporate, taxation, litigation, intellectual property, and restructuring fields. With more than 3,500 people on board, the U.S.-based firm’s revenues stood at over $7.2 billion in 2023, putting it at the top of the list.2
The firm has a large number of high-profile clients, including Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Dow Chemical General Motors, and Pfizer.3
Fast Fact
Kirkland & Ellis was founded in 1909 in Chicago.4
2. Latham & Watkins LLP
With more than 30 offices in the U.S. and around the world and more than 3,400 lawyers on board, Latham & Watkins ranks second in terms of annual revenues, with a reported $5.7 billion.56
The firm offers a wide range of services from activism, to entertainment and media, to real estate, and white-collar defense.
3. DLA Piper
One of the biggest global law firms with lawyers in more than 40 countries, DLA Piper came into existence after a merger in 2005.
