The downward trend continued for Am Law 100 firms in 2009 as more than half (56) posted drops in revenue per lawyer, our best measure of a firm’s financial health. Four firms had double-digit decreases. Debevoise & Plimpton reported the steepest decline, at 19.1 percent, pushing it out of the top ten. Howrey also posted a 19 percent decrease. Baker & McKenzie was down 11.6 percent. Among gainers, Fish & Richardson had an 11.2 percent uptick, and Cozen O’Connor also showed double-digit growth, at 10.6 percent.
We calculate revenue per lawyer by dividing gross revenue by the number of lawyers. Figures on this chart are rounded to the nearest $5,000. Firms that tied are listed alphabetically. For more details, see “A Guide to Our Methodology,” page 123.
| Rank by RPL | Firm | Rank by number of lawyers | 2009 RPL | Change in RPL from 2008 |
| 1 | Wachtell231 lawyers, 86 equity partners | 100 | $2,530,000 | 3.1% |
| 2 | Sullivan & Cromwell700 lawyers, 167 equity partners | 46 | $1,420,000 | -4.1% |
| 3 | Boies, Schiller240 lawyers, 34 equity partners | 98 | $1,235,000 | 4.7% |
| 3 | Davis Polk684 lawyers, 169 equity partners | 49 | $1,235,000 | 2.1% |
| 5 | Williams & Connolly236 lawyers, 105 equity partners | 99 | $1,215,000 | 4.3% |
| 6 | Cravath477 lawyers, 92 equity partners | 81 | $1,190,000 | -1.7% |
| 7 | Skadden1,860 lawyers, 435 equity partners | 5 | $1,130,000 | 2.3% |
| 8 | Milbank, Tweed534 lawyers, 119 equity partners | 68 | $1,125,000 | 5.1% |
| 9 | Simpson Thacher787 lawyers, 177 equity partners | 39 | $1,105,000 | -2.2% |
| 10 | Quinn Emanuel398 lawyers, 77 equity partners | 90 | $1,055,000 | -4.5% |
| 11 | Paul, Weiss653 lawyers, 116 equity partners | 54 | $1,020,000 | -4.7% |
| 12 | Weil, Gotshal1,212 lawyers, 184 equity partners | 14 | $1,015,000 | -1.9% |
| 13 | Gibson, Dunn983 lawyers, 284 equity partners | 21 | $1,010,000 | -2.4% |
| 13 | Kirkland & Ellis1,411 lawyers, 270 equity partners | 11 | $1,010,000 | -3.8% |
| 13 | Wilmer 933 lawyers, 309 equity partners | 25 | $1,010,000 | -1.5% |
| 16 | Cadwalader457 lawyers, 61 equity partners | 83 | $1,000,000 | 3.6% |
| 17 | Schulte Roth398 lawyers, 85 equity partners | 91 | $995,000 | 2.6% |
| 18 | Akin Gump725 lawyers, 170 equity partners | 42 | $990,000 | 2.6% |
| 18 | Fish & Richardson422 lawyers, 110 equity partners | 86 | $990,000 | 11.2% |
| 18 | Hughes Hubbard280 lawyers, 67 equity partners | 97 | $990,000 | 4.8% |
| 18 | Proskauer Rose650 lawyers, 164 equity partners | 56 | $990,000 | 8.2% |
| 22 | Shearman & Sterling815 lawyers, 185 equity partners | 37 | $985,000 | -3.4% |
| 23 | Cleary Gottlieb992 lawyers, 192 equity partners | 20 | $975,000 | 0.5% |
| 23 | Debevoise & Plimpton686 lawyers, 144 equity partners | 48 | $975,000 | -19.1% |
| 23 | Finnegan, Henderson358 lawyers, 102 equity partners | 95 | $975,000 | -5.8% |
| 26 | Kaye Scholer446 lawyers, 130 equity partners | 84 | $970,000 | 7.2% |
| 26 | Latham & Watkins1,880 lawyers, 444 equity partners | 4 | $970,000 | 6.0% |
| 26 | Paul, Hastings917 lawyers, 193 equity partners | 27 | $970,000 | 4.3% |
| 29 | O’Melveny & Myers861 lawyers, 218 equity partners | 31 | $960,000 | -1.0% |
| 30 | Bingham McCutchen922 lawyers, 161 equity partners | 26 | $930,000 | -2.1% |
| 30 | Willkie Farr591 lawyers, 134 equity partners | 65 | $930,000 | -7.0% |
| 32 | Dechert786 lawyers, 149 equity partners | 40 | $910,000 | -0.5% |
| 32 | Kramer Levin322 lawyers, 65 equity partners | 96 | $910,000 | 1.1% |
| 34 | Fried, Frank469 lawyers, 133 equity partners | 82 | $905,000 | 5.2% |
| 35 | Covington & Burling653 lawyers, 209 equity partners | 55 | $895,000 | -5.3% |
| 36 | Morrison & Foerster1,005 lawyers, 256 equity partners | 18 | $880,000 | 0.6% |
| 37 | Ropes & Gray904 lawyers, 252 equity partners | 29 | $875,000 | -10.3% |
| 38 | Dewey & LeBoeuf1,054 lawyers, 180 equity partners | 16 | $865,000 | 6.1% |
| 39 | Arnold & Porter613 lawyers, 209 equity partners | 60 | $855,000 | -1.2% |
| 39 | Jenner & Block430 lawyers, 128 equity partners | 85 | $855,000 | 7.5% |
| 39 | McDermott Will968 lawyers, 255 equity partners | 22 | $855,000 | -6.6% |
| 39 | Sidley Austin1,588 lawyers, 304 equity partners | 9 | $855,000 | -2.3% |
| 43 | King & Spalding796 lawyers, 151 equity partners | 38 | $850,000 | 4.9% |
| 44 | Wilson Sonsini600 lawyers, 124 equity partners | 63 | $835,000 | -1.2% |
| 44 | Winston & Strawn843 lawyers, 184 equity partners | 33 | $835,000 | -2.9% |
| 46 | Orrick1,018 lawyers, 187 equity partners | 17 | $830,000 | -2.9% |
| 47 | Dickstein Shapiro360 lawyers, 73 equity partners | 94 | $825,000 | 0.0% |
| 48 | Crowell & Moring419 lawyers, 94 equity partners | 87 | $810,000 | 9.5% |
| 48 | DLA Piper US1,251 lawyers, 213 equity partners | 13 | $810,000 | -5.3% |
| 48 | Morgan, Lewis1,315 lawyers, 263 equity partners | 12 | $810,000 | -1.2% |
| 48 | Steptoe & Johnson419 lawyers, 148 equity partners | 88 | $810,000 | -4.1% |
| 48 | Vinson & Elkins693 lawyers, 206 equity partners | 47 | $810,000 | -6.4% |
| 53 | Cooley Godward628 lawyers, 152 equity partners | 58 | $805,000 | -5.8% |
| 53 | Pillsbury Winthrop663 lawyers, 173 equity partners | 52 | $805,000 | 0.0% |
| 55 | Baker Botts722 lawyers, 186 equity partners | 44 | $795,000 | -3.6% |
| 56 | Goodwin Procter835 lawyers, 207 equity partners | 35 | $790,000 | -7.1% |
| 57 | Chadbourne & Parke366 lawyers, 80 equity partners | 93 | $770,000 | 7.7% |
| 57 | Hogan & Hartson1,121 lawyers, 287 equity partners | 15 | $770,000 | -7.8% |
| 59 | Sheppard, Mullin479 lawyers, 77 equity partners | 80 | $755,000 | -1.3% |
| 60 | Locke Lord532 lawyers, 131 equity partners | 69 | $750,000 | 2.7% |
| 61 | Sonnenschein655 lawyers, 136 equity partners | 53 | $720,000 | -7.7% |
| 62 | Hunton & Williams863 lawyers, 245 equity partners | 30 | $715,000 | 2.9% |
| 63 | Foley & Lardner937 lawyers, 178 equity partners | 23 | $710,000 | -9.6% |
| 63 | Fulbright & Jaworski905 lawyers, 332 equity partners | 28 | $710,000 | -6.6% |
| 65 | Howrey683 lawyers, 152 equity partners | 50 | $705,000 | -19.0% |
| 66 | Katten Muchin604 lawyers, 140 equity partners | 62 | $695,000 | -7.3% |
| 66 | Mintz, Levin398 lawyers, 75 equity partners | 92 | $695,000 | 2.2% |
| 66 | Shook, Hardy486 lawyers, 107 equity partners | 76 | $695,000 | 1.5% |
| 69 | Pepper Hamilton484 lawyers, 143 equity partners | 77 | $690,000 | 0.0% |
| 69 | White & Case1,890 lawyers, 278 equity partners | 3 | $690,000 | -2.1% |
| 71 | Greenberg Traurig1,707 lawyers, 292 equity partners | 6 | $685,000 | -1.4% |
| 72 | Bracewell & Giuliani409 lawyers, 98 equity partners | 89 | $680,000 | 4.6% |
| 73 | Mayer Brown1,657 lawyers, 274 equity partners | 8 | $675,000 | -6.3% |
| 73 | Venable518 lawyers, 158 equity partners | 72 | $675,000 | 0.7% |
| 75 | Alston & Bird820 lawyers, 152 equity partners | 36 | $670,000 | -5.6% |
| 76 | Reed Smith1,427 lawyers, 315 equity partners | 10 | $660,000 | 0.0% |
| 77 | Blank Rome490 lawyers, 156 equity partners | 74 | $655,000 | 7.4% |
| 78 | Nixon Peabody717 lawyers, 214 equity partners | 45 | $650,000 | -7.1% |
| 78 | Squire, Sanders838 lawyers, 151 equity partners | 34 | $650,000 | -3.0% |
| 80 | Perkins Coie670 lawyers, 137 equity partners | 51 | $645,000 | -1.5% |
| 81 | Duane Morris613 lawyers, 130 equity partners | 61 | $635,000 | 0.0% |
| 81 | Haynes and Boone481 lawyers, 135 equity partners | 79 | $635,000 | 1.6% |
| 83 | Patton Boggs532 lawyers, 116 equity partners | 70 | $625,000 | -7.4% |
| 83 | Seyfarth Shaw723 lawyers, 220 equity partners | 43 | $625,000 | -0.8% |
| 85 | Jones Day2,469 lawyers, 797 equity partners | 2 | $615,000 | -6.1% |
| 86 | K&L Gates1,705 lawyers, 295 equity partners | 7 | $605,000 | -2.4% |
| 87 | Drinker Biddle621 lawyers, 193 equity partners | 59 | $600,000 | -2.4% |
| 88 | McGuireWoods856 lawyers, 176 equity partners | 32 | $595,000 | 0.0% |
| 89 | Faegre & Benson482 lawyers, 235 equity partners | 78 | $585,000 | -4.9% |
| 89 | Holland & Knight934 lawyers, 191 equity partners | 24 | $585,000 | -0.8% |
| 91 | Troutman Sanders650 lawyers, 180 equity partners | 57 | $580,000 | 2.7% |
| 92 | Cozen O’Connor505 lawyers, 145 equity partners | 73 | $575,000 | 10.6% |
| 92 | Dorsey & Whitney596 lawyers, 191 equity partners | 64 | $575,000 | -8.7% |
| 94 | Baker & Hostetler582 lawyers, 143 equity partners | 66 | $565,000 | 3.7% |
| 94 | Davis Wright489 lawyers, 213 equity partners | 75 | $565,000 | 2.7% |
| 96 | Bryan Cave996 lawyers, 202 equity partners | 19 | $555,000 | -5.1% |
| 97 | Edwards Angell530 lawyers, 77 equity partners | 71 | $540,000 | -5.3% |
| 98 | Baker & McKenzie3,949 lawyers, 720 equity partners | 1 | $535,000 | -11.6% |
| 99 | Husch Blackwell565 lawyers, 170 equity partners | 67 | $510,000 | 2.0% |
| 100 | Littler Mendelson746 lawyers, 290 equity partners | 41 | $495,000 | 2.1% |
