An unprepared representation may cost an individual or business more than simply resources. It is necessary to engage competent attorneys when dealing with legal concerns. In California, whether one is involved in a personal or corporate case, it’s advisable to engage in a professional legal service. It’s no secret that California has one of the strongest legal markets in America. Legislative demand in California is being driven by the tech, real estate, and entertainment industries. The collective size of law firms in California is less than in other legal markets, including New York. A typical group size for these is five to seven summer associates. It leads to intense competition in the California market.
Top 10 Law Firms in California
The below list mentions the top 10 law firms in California determined by the quality of legal services they provide to their clients:
1. Latham & Watkins LLP
2. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
3. O’Melveny & Myers LLP
4. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
5. Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
6. DLA Piper
7. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
8. Morrison & Foerster LLP
9. Sidley Austin LLP
10. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
1. Latham & Watkins LLP
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Latham & Watkins is regarded as one of the biggest pro bono providers in the world. Almost reaching a span, the firm was established in 1934. The firm has evolved as a top-rated legal advisor in the USA. The reason? It has over 3,500 attorneys spread throughout 30 locations in nearly 15 countries.
People often hire Latham in the latter phases of litigation to attempt complicated matters with multibillion-dollar risks because of his reputation for doing precisely that. When it comes to crisis management and good preventive counsel, Latham is the right place to file the case. Their staff is well-established in the US and across the world, and they have the interdisciplinary and multijurisdictional expertise that their customers need.
The firm is spread over Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the USA. As a result of its client-centric approach, Latham & Watkins has established and maintained fruitful partnerships with a wide range of clients. It includes from Fortune 500 firms to startups, banks, and even governments.
2. Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Kirkland & Ellis is one of the most famous legal firms in the world. Its specialties include restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, litigation, and corporate law. With more than 3,500 lawyers, the firm is usually named among the top in the globe. In 1909, two young attorneys from Chicago named Stuart Shepard and Robert McCormick decided to go into business together.
Citizens can voice their opinions on public personalities and authority in written or spoken forms, according to the “fair comment” notion that Ellis vehemently supported. Regions including the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the USA, 6,500 of its employees are spread out among 21 offices.
Several areas are covered by the firm’s 700+ litigators. Presented with the North America Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2016, the firm’s CareerLink initiative was cited by the Financial Times. Present and past legal staff of the firm as well as graduates may make use of this career counseling, one-on-one career coaching, job board, and “playbook” that includes tips on how to improve one’s CV, interview skills, networking abilities, and more.
3. O’Melveny & Myers LLP
The O’Melveny story starts in 1885 when Henry W. O’Melveny and Jackson Graves founded a partnership in Los Angeles.
With 18 offices across the world, O’Melveny is a formidable legal organization that employs over 800 skilled attorneys. Growing businesses, safeguarding wealth, and understanding and complying with ever-changing regulations are all areas in which the company assists its customers.
The California-based firm is well-known for offering clients a full range of legal and business counseling services. They have been the go-to advisors for an expanding roster of industry heavyweights because of their faultless service.
Diversity, and inclusion (DE&I), employee wellness, and associate development are areas in which the company excels. The firm has opened doors to great opportunities in the legal fields of technology, and entertainment, among others.
While O’Melveny & Myers has a long history in California, it has recently expanded into Texas and has offices in several other countries across three continents.
4. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Skadden is among the most prominent and extensive law firms in the world. Although headquartered in NY, its California office serves many clients with great satisfaction. Its lawyers work together effectively across 21 offices worldwide, showcasing a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints. The firm’s California branch is fiercely competent in litigation, business law, and regulatory matters. Skadden advises clients with a wide variety of complex legal challenges, including financial litigation, antitrust law, M&A, and corporate finance.
Not only in California or New York, Skadden’s fame knows no bounds, including Shanghai. Roughly 1,700 attorneys are on staff at the firm’s thirteen international locations and eight domestic ones. Because of the company’s stellar reputation and large alumni network, attorneys at Skadden have many options for leaving the firm. Pro bono cases are carefully selected by lawyers who are enthusiastic about making a difference in the community.
5. Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
With the greatest average A-List rating in the award’s history, MTO has led The American Lawyer A-List 10 times, which is a record. There are only three offices in the company, yet among the 200 lawyers, there are some of the greatest minds in the business.
Despite Munger Tolles’ relative diminutive size in comparison to other firms in this list, there is no reason to discount the quality of their work. For over 60 years, the lawyers at MTO have helped clients with their most crucial and intricate legal matters.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington are its locations for offices. Its clientele regards the firm as an “army of trial lawyers” in areas that need more resources. Edison International, PG&E, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, and others are among MTO’s clientele.
Since its launch in 2004, Munger Tolles has maintained a steady presence on The American Lawyer’s A-List, including 10 years at the top of the list. Also, MTO was named one of the “Top Lawyers of the Decade (2021) by the Daily Journal.
6. DLA Piper
More than 40 nations are represented by the attorneys of DLA Piper. With offices in the USA, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia Pacific, the company is well-positioned to assist customers worldwide with their legal matters. Dibb Lupton Alsop (DLA) was formed in 1996 because of a merger with Alsop Wilkinson, a legal practice located in Liverpool.
With attorneys with both regional and national expertise, the company maintains a presence in over 25 locations throughout the USA. Among DLA Piper’s primary areas of practice in the United States are government relations, employment, and business and financial law. DLA Piper is a global law company that acts as an advocate for several prominent corporations, startups, banks, and other organizations.
Two categories of the American Lawyer 2024 Industry Awards have included DLA Piper. The training program that DLA Piper created to assist newly elected partners in adjusting to their new positions also contributed to their selection. The business was honored with several distinctions, one of which was Real Estate Business of the Year, as part of “Law.com’s 2024 New England Legal Awards.”
7. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
One of the leading law firms in California, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, is best known for its efficient legal service to its clients. Though it maintains an office in Los Angeles CA, the firm’s main office is in New York. Sullivan has been a leader in the legal industry and an inspiration to other firms for almost 140 years due to its remarkable achievements.
In addition to advising governments, businesses, and industries, the company also works with private funds, people, estates, and trusts; and it also serves educational, societal, and charitable groups.
Sullivan & Cromwell’s ability to handle complicated, global transactions and its mastery of regulatory issues are well-known. Through its thirteen offices located in major financial centers in Asia, USA, Europe, and Australia, S&C’s more than 900 lawyers serve clients across the world.
8. Morrison & Foerster LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP has 17 locations spread around Asia, the US, and Europe, with headquarters in San Francisco, CA. The firm was established over 140 years ago by Alexander Morrison and Thomas V. O’Brien.
Serving customers across continents, MoFo is a leading worldwide legal practice with over a thousand professionals spread out across eighteen locations. MoFo settles big disputes across several countries and processes some of the biggest cross-border transactions in the world. Social justice and pro bono labor are long-standing values.
With a staff of 1,074 people, Morrison Foerster is the 37th largest law firm in America in the 2024 National Law Journal 500 rating. The company ranked 38th on The American Lawyer’s 2024 Am Law 200 rating with approx. $1,343,000,000 gross revenue in 2023. The 2023 Global 200 ranking placed MoFo at number 47 on the basis of the highest-grossing law firms.
It’s no secret that MoFo rules the roost when it comes to representing creditors’ committees, international insolvencies, troubled real estate, and more. The firm’s finance practice is among the most seasoned in the United States. Working closely with private equity firms and private corporations, these lawyers have an excellent record of clients on the borrower’s side.
9. Sidley Austin LLP
Sidley Austin’s powerful representation of clients in over 70 countries draws on 158 years of legal tradition. To guarantee the greatest potential results in complicated litigation issues, its attorneys use a “Built to Win” client service strategy in their legal planning.
With a team of 2,300 attorneys who are proficient in 80+ languages, Sidley has the cultural sensitivity and international legal expertise to help clients navigate today’s complex business environment.
The attorneys and support personnel at Sidley contribute over 150,000 hours a year to pro bono work via firm-wide initiatives, making a significant impact in the areas where they assist. In addition, as part of their social responsibility initiative, they have collaborated with several local charity organizations. This allows professionals to offer their abilities for various tasks that assist people in need.
10. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
International legal firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP specializes in representing clients in the financial, energy infrastructure, and technology and innovation industries. Its attorneys provide forward-thinking, practical assistance on transactions, litigation, and compliance issues to leading corporations and new entrants in over 25 markets globally.
Orrick is headquartered in California, USA. The development of the “Golden Gate Bridge” and the “California Corporate Securities Act” were among Orrick’s first projects after its founding in 1863.
More than 3,700 tech and life sciences startups, 80+ unicorns, 300+ venture capitalists, and 6 of the top 10 public tech companies are customers of the firm. Renewable energy, electricity, oil and gas, and infrastructure are all part of Orrick’s extensive worldwide Energy & Infrastructure portfolio.
In 1998, 40+ attorneys and their litigating practices were bought out by Orrick from Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine.
Fortune has included the company in its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2020. Orrick was once again recognized by Law360 as one of the top 20 legal firms in the world in 2019. Also, Orrick was recognized as the most digital legal firm in North America in 2020 by the Financial Times.
Conclusion
California-based law firms including Latham & Watkins, DLA Piper, Morrison & Foerster, and others from the above list excel in legal service. Corporate law, litigation, and intellectual property are among these law firms’ specialties. Their enormous resource base and knowledge allow them to handle high-profile issues and transactions globally.
California has several specialist legal boutiques. Firms mentioned above provide specialized attention and extensive knowledge of their areas of competence, making them suitable for certain legal issues. Their approaches address complex legal concerns and complement local knowledge while being more accessible and community-based.
The above-mentioned law firms are abandoning conventional legal solutions for technology-driven ones. In addition to their client offerings, they increasingly use legal technology to get outcomes quickly and boost efficiency.
FAQs
Which Is the Most Successful Law Firm In the USA?
Kirkland & Ellis, with approximately $7,208,000,000 gross revenue in 2023 is recognized as the top law firm in the USA.
How Many Total Law Firms Are There in California?
More than 60,000 law firms exist in the state of California, USA, followed by Florida with a presence of over 47,000 law firms.
Why California Is a Good Place to Practice Law?
When considering the greatest cities for attorneys, San Francisco, CA comes out on top. The high cost of living is somewhat mitigated by the second-highest median wage among lawyers in this area, which is $168,990.
Can An International Candidate Become a Lawyer in California?
Yes, California permits international law graduates to practice law in the state, given the condition that the candidate must pursue a JD (Juris Doctor) Degree.
