In a unique turn of events, Kirkland & Ellis, a Chicago-born firm, currently holds the record as the law firm with the largest New York office, surpassing the likes of Davis, Polk & Wardwell; and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. According to the latest data rankings released by the New York Law Journal 100, Kirkland & Ellis boasted a full-time equivalent workforce of 795 attorneys in Manhattan in the last year. This feat is particularly impressive as it edges out the law firms Davis Polk and Paul Weiss, with 791 and 766 attorneys respectively.
These statistics are noteworthy as they demonstrate the steady expansion of law firms in New York even during a muted year for capital markets and M&A activity. Kirkland & Ellis’s remarkable growth in size is indicative of the resilience of large law firms, highlighting their capacity to increase headcounts against difficult economic terrain.
For more detailed information per ranking and insights into the head count gains at Big Law offices in New York, law professionals are encouraged to further explore the full report.