Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan may have its roots in California, but the firm's biggest office is in New York.

Of late, it's also been most often in the news. In January, 10 New York-based partners left to form Selendy & Gay, and last week, a trio of products liability lawyers led by Sheila Birnbaum decamped for Dechert. For a firm used to adding, not losing, lateral partners, the departures were a blow.

At the same time, Quinn Emanuel saw record revenue last year, and boasted the second-highest profits per partner—$4.735 million—of any Am Law 100 firm.