Willkie Farr & Gallagher has exhibited a remarkable growth trajectory since late 2019, making significant moves in the legal markets of major cities like Chicago, New York, and across California. The firm, established in New York, has climbed nearly 20 places on the list of the largest U.S. law firms by revenue from 2019 to 2023. This ascent is noteworthy as no other firm in the same period managed such growth without merging. According to statistics provided by The American Lawyer, the firm’s leap highlights its strategic efforts to expand geographically and professionally.
The firm’s aggressive hiring practices have significantly bolstered its presence in Chicago, New York, and California, adding over 100 lawyers in each market since 2020, as reported by Leopard Solutions. Despite this expansion, Willkie’s profitability indices have not entirely aligned with its growth, partially due to the establishment and expansion of a non-equity partner tier, which now comprises over 120 lawyers. In 2023, equity partners at Willkie earned approximately $3.9 million on average, placing the firm as the 25th among the top 100 firms regarding profitability.
Notable recent hires include entertainment lawyer Doug Emhoff and a three-partner white-collar investigations team from Mayer Brown. Lee Wolosky, a litigator and former U.S. ambassador, highlighted that litigation now forms about a third of Willkie’s revenue and noted the firm’s expansion efforts in California, Texas, Chicago, and internationally.
In Texas, where the firm has begun establishing a foothold, just about 45 lawyers currently operate in Houston and Dallas, following the opening of a new office in the region last year. The hiring of Craig Martin in March 2020 proved critical for the firm, as Martin, a former Jenner & Block chairman, set up Willkie’s Chicago office, significantly increasing the region’s legal footprint. A similar expansionary effort was seen in Los Angeles, under the leadership of Alex Weingarten of the firm’s entertainment litigation practice, boosting the office’s strength to 116 lawyers.
Weingarten attributes Willkie’s exceptional market penetration to its commitment to building strong relationships with the Los Angeles business and legal community, enabling successful recruitments like that of Jason Linder from Mayer Brown. He pointed out the importance of maintaining local legal expertise rather than relying heavily on staff from other offices. The firm’s strategy seems to be resonating well with its client base, accommodated by ongoing enhancements to office space and facilities to manage the continuing expansion.