While the Fourth of July is a slow day around the United States, for firms with a true global presence, the annual celebration of Britain’s crushing defeat doesn’t register much. So it was the perfect day for our friends at Law360 to release their latest Global 20 ranking, breaking down the firms with the “broadest global reach and the proven ability to handle the most difficult cross-border matters, from multibillion-dollar mergers to heated legal brawls.”
Let’s check out the top 5…
Which just so happens to be the top 6…
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1. White & Case
2. Allen & Overy
3. DLA Piper
4. Freshfields
5. Herbert Smith
5. Norton Rose
For the next 15, check out Law360.
Congratulations to White & Case, who prove again that firms can bring in big business while still giving back, delivering deeply significant pro bono wins this year. Meanwhile, Allen & Overy is sitting here wondering if they’ll nab the top spot next year by adding a few hundred more American lawyers in the rumored tie-up with O’Melveny.
On the other hand, Norton Rose’s position on this list highlights the divide between the firm’s international and domestic practices. While the international work lands them a spot on this prestigious list, they’ve been beset by defections and general malaise stateside.
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Digging into the data reveals that the average firm on the Global 20 boasts 45 offices across the globe. Which markets they’ve opted to play in varies, but every single one of the top 20 have offices in New York, London, Beijing, and Hong Kong, showing the most powerful global firms know which way the wind is blowing when it comes to 21st-century business.
Kudos to every firm that made the list. Now get back to billing — you have some raises to pay for.
Law360 Reveals The Global 20 Firms Of 2018 [Law360]
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Joe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.