Leading law firms worldwide in 2021, based on revenue

In 2021, Kirkland & Ellis was the highest grossing law firm in the world. The Chicago-based multinational generated a gross revenue of just over six billion U.S. dollars in the corresponding year. Latham & Watkins were the second highest grossing law firm in the same year, with a revenue that totaled approximately 5.5 billion U.S. dollars.

A notable alumnus

As well as generating the highest global revenue of all law firms in 2021, Kirkland & Ellis also had the highest number of lawyers in the United States in the same year. Many of these attorneys who worked for the firm follow the career paths of federal officials or judges, with Brett Kavanaugh being a prime example. Kavanaugh had the swing vote in the Supreme Court regarding Roe vs. Wade, and this has since made legal abortions difficult to obtain in many U.S. states. Pro-life or pro-choice has been a divisive issue in the United States and has still very much split public opinion over the last decade.

Legal services in the United States

With many of the highest grossing law firms being based in the United States, the revenue created within the country has been substantial. In 2022, it was predicted that the industry revenue of legal services would be almost 350 billion U.S. dollars. Furthermore, lawyers earned a higher annual wage than any other legal occupation in 2021, making it an attractive job prospect in an already prosperous market.