In the last five decades, as Atlanta has transformed itself into one of the country's most dynamic metropolitan areas, it's become an enticing destination for large law firms with roots elsewhere in the nation. But while certain Big Law firms from outside Georgia grew the ranks in their Atlanta outposts at the jackrabbit speeds motorists often use on the city’s busy highways, others grew more steadily or even declined in numbers over that interval.

Head count undoubtedly provides some indication of how successfully these outsiders have entrenched themselves in the eighth largest metro region in the U.S., home to 18 Fortune 500 companies. Some firm leaders, though, contend that growth in revenue should be the main barometer of the success of a Big Law firm’s local office.