Skip to content
Legal Business
Twitter Logo Email Icon Youtube Circle Icon Facebook Circle Icon LinkedIn Icon Google+ Circle Icon
Newsletter Subscribe App Trial
Menu
  • Blog
    • shropshire_tomRevolving doors: Linklaters senior partner candidate replaces Moriarty at Diageo as accountancy GC lands at ClydesTom Baker
    • thomas_sandy_reed_smithCoronavirus measures pay off for Reed Smith as revenue tops $1.3bn while profit soars Tom Baker
    • supreme_court‘Huge implications’: employment experts assess fallout from Supreme Court ruling against UberTom Baker
    • empson_morley_leading_professional_people_spotifyGuest comment: Balancing acts – partnership versus corporationGuest Blog
    • Miguel ZaldivarBaptism of fire: New Hogan Lovells chiefs unveil record results as PEP nudges $2mNathalie Tidman
    • More Blogs
    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • Analysis
      • Print300 not out…the story of Legal Business spanning three decades
      • cog idea EKThe Euro Elite 2021: Keeping the cogs turning
      • main_table_euro_elite_cogsThe Euro Elite overview: Enduring endurance
      • Herbert Smith Freehills; Aug 2018Getting personal – perspectives on crisis management in the Covid-19 era
      • lb300_complete_coverAccess your print copy online – LB300
        • Law firm financial data

          Access the full range of Legal Business financial reports, including  The LB100 and Global 100 – comprehensive coverage of the largest law firms in the world by revenue.

          Disputes hub


          Head to the LB Disputes hub for focused Disputes coverage, including news, events, analysis, comment and the latest Disputes Yearbook.

      • LB300 – issue menu
      • Access your print copy online – LB300
      • 300 not out…the story of Legal Business spanning three decades
      • The Euro Elite 2021: Keeping the cogs turning
      • The Euro Elite overview: Enduring endurance
      • Euro Elite: Baltics – Small yet spirited
      • More analysis
    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • Insight
      • Law Tech: GC readers manualSponsored briefing: Legal tech – Too much of a good thing?Guest Blog
      • Tunnel diverThe New GC Toolkit: New game, new rules, new playersLegal Business
      • banks_peter_partnershipThe Path to Partnership: A Special ReportLegal Business
      • digital mapInternational Arbitration Insight: Bigger, longer, more complicatedJames Wood
      • Brexit close to finalThe edge of the cliff – Brexit response for worried GCsJames Wood
    • More Insight
    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • Comment
        • art deco-style 2020s airship in LondonLearning from the ghosts of decades past
        • Learning from the ghosts of decades past
        • Depressing end to Weinstein gagging order narrative means closure for none
        • The Last Word: So far so good?
        • Not a roaring start to the 2020s but bravery is key
        • Failings in Beckwith prosecution undermine #MeToo fight and muzzle regulator
        • The Last Word: Immovable objects
      • More Comment
    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • News review
      • ПечатьThe Legal 500 View: The rise of US firms from barbarians at the gate to London’s top tiersGeorgina Stanley
      • balasubramanian_anuLife During Law: Anu BalasubramanianThomas Alan
      • Conyers_PMSc539Sponsored briefing: Flexible and stable: The growing appeal of offshore SPACsGuest Blog
      • davitt_jones_bouldSponsored briefing: Are we on the cusp of an evolution in the legal sector, when collaborative ways of working between firms will be become the norm?Guest Blog
      • ldl_samantha_mobleyLife During Law: Samantha MobleyNathalie Tidman
    • More news review
      • Crisis management

        Law firm coverage of crisis management amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • International
        • Africa
            • suitcase with African stickersAfrica rising – Foreign firms strive to cover the booming continent
            • waking_the_elephant_africaLegal leaders in Africa: Waking the elephant
            • city railway illustrationLaying the foundations – lawyers scramble as demand for African infra booms
            • GC Powerlist Africa Teams

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Africa

        • Cyprus
            • Cyprus doveA new hope for Cyprus’s recession-battered lawyers
            • Cyprus flag puzzleCyprus: Picking up the pieces
            • black dog howling at grungey Cyprus flagReturn of the black dog – Hard times return for Cyprus’ legal community
            • GC Powerlist: Greece and Cyprus Teams

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Cyprus

        • Iberia
          • PrintLetter from Iberia – Despite global meltdown, local lawyers remain upbeat
          • madrid 3Letter from Iberia – Despite turbulent politics, Madrid lawyers sustain bullish mood
          • Richter ScaleIberia: Off the Richter scale
          • GC Powerlist: Iberia Teams

            The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Portugal

            The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Spain

        • Ireland
            • no_luck_required_ireland_desert_shamrockIreland: No luck required
            • DublinIreland: Follow the money
            • Businessman running to DublinIreland: A case to make
            • GC Powerlist: Ireland

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Ireland

        • Israel
            • Tel AvivIsrael: Anti-fragile
            • Man walking on tightrope over Tel AvivIn the game – Israeli law firms embrace risks to secure the tech icons of tomorrow
            • Tel Aviv tech styleValue range – as the money pours in, can Israel takes its high-growth stars global?
            • The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Israel

        • Italy
          • PrintThe Italian report – Midway upon the journey of our life
          • Italian astrology sceneThe Euro Elite: Italy – And yet it moves
          • Sepia Trevi foutain sceneRenaissance style – the battle to modernise Italy’s legal elite
          • GC Powerlist: Italy Teams

            The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Italy

        • Middle East
            • PrintThe Middle East: The rough with the crude
            • RiyadhMiddle East: Mission unaccomplished
            • Offshore oil rig with stock market overlayHolding steady – A turbulent Middle East market separates the committed from the faint-hearted
            • GC Powerlist: Middle East

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Middle East

        • Offshore
          • hot_air_balloon_covidUK offshore report: Staying afloat
          • virtual_handshakeCaribbean offshore report: End of the storm?
          • card gameGlobal offshore – Stick or twist for the sector’s leaders
        • Russia
            • bear on russian flag illustrationRousing the bear – Russian counsel force to hunt in new places
            • frozen cityThe Russia report: A new thaw?
            • Propaganda-style posterAboard the propaganda train – sweat and spin amid a turbulent Russian market
            • GC Powerlist: Russia Teams

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Russia

        • Southern and Eastern Europe
            • Sponsored profile: Gajski, Grlic, Prka & Partners, Zagreb, Croatia
            • Southern and Eastern Europe – A different hue
        • Switzerland
            • Welcome to SwitzerlandA very clear shift – Remaking the Swiss economy
            • lb297_prager_dreifuss_collageSponsored spotlight: Dispute resolution: Strategic case management with legal acumen
            • Eu rock with Swiss flag in creviceSwitzerland – Between a rock and a hard place
            • GC Powerlist: Switzerland

              The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Switzerland

        • Turkey
          • turkey5Turkey – Back from the brink
          • bridging-the-gapTurkey – Bridging the Gap
          • turkey2Leading ladies
          • GC Powerlist: Turkey Teams

            The Legal 500 law firm rankings: Turkey

        • The Euro Elite 2021
          • Wonderful,Evening,Scenic,Summer,Panorama,Of,Tallinn,,EstoniaEuro Elite: Baltics – Small yet spirited
          • Panoramic,Aerial,View,Of,The,Central,Part,Of,Brussels,,TheEuro Elite: Benelux – Reasons to be cheerful
          • Ada,,Gazela,Bridges,,Belgrade,Waterfront,,Government,Of,Serbia,,Sava,RiverEuro Elite: CEE – Finding the middle ground
          • Aerial,View,Of,Paris,With,Eiffel,Tower,,FranceEuro Elite: France – Shining lights
          • Sunset,Over,Frankfurt,SkylineEuro Elite: Germany – Flight to quality
          • Aerial,View,Plaza,De,Cibeles,In,Madrid,In,A,BeautifulEuro Elite: Iberia – Stronger together
          • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • In-House
      • Philip PriceLeadership and developmentLegal Business
      • Vincent CordoOperations and procurementLegal Business
      • Dan KayneInterview with… Dan KayneLegal Business
      • Logo for the GC Powerlist Series

        Powerlists

        Nominations

      • Available Now…

        GC Powerlist UK 2020: The Change Agenda

        The GCs and in-house legal teams in the UK making a major contribution to positive change, either at an industry or sector level

        GC Powerlist: Turkey 2019

        The most influential and innovative in-house teams working in Turkey…

    • SUBSCRIBE TO LEGAL BUSINESS
  • Awards
      • LB Awards 2018 tablesPhotos from The Legal Business Awards
      • sponsorSponsors
      • 5DA_1362Contacts – The Legal Business Awards
  • Events
    • Previous Events


      Sicher Durch Den Sturm: Mit Weniger Mehr Erreichen – 10 December 2020

      In association with 10 December 2020, 4.00pm Mitteleuropäische Zeit

      The OpenText – Legal Business webinar – 9 December 2020

      In association with Date: 9 December 2020 Time: 4pm GMT

      Upcoming Events


      OpenText/Legal Business webinar: Reducing cost and risk: early data reconnaissance – 18 March 2021

      London, United Kingdom

      18/03/2021

      OpenText/Legal Business webinar: Early Case Assessment and Investigations: Reducing Cost and Risk (Germany) – 24 February 2021

      London, United Kingdom

      24/02/2021

      Financial Regulatory and Disputes Summit 2021

      London, United Kingdom

      01/12/2021

      All Events
  • Covid-19
Analysis

The Global 100 Overview: Unstoppable forces

After a period of serious momentum, the world’s top law firms performed credibly in their last Covid-free financial years

Posted on 18 December 2020 09:30am17 December 2020 21:44pm
Thomas Alan and Nathalie Tidman
Global 100 2020 Financial results 2019/20

In Legal Business’ last Global 100 issue, we reported on a ‘relatively benign’ 2018/19 for the world’s top 100 law firms compared to the tumultuous three years that preceded it. The headwinds caused by increased protectionism in the US and ongoing acrimony between the UK and Europe had subsided somewhat after firms recovered from the initial shock of an infamous 2016. The result was an industry enjoying a sustained period of serious growth and momentum.

2020, however, brought an abrupt end to this period of plenty. If a global health pandemic that plunged the world’s largest economies into self-imposed lockdown was not challenging enough, there was also a drama-laden US presidential election. And buried amid this chaos, it is easy to forget the UK is marking the anniversary of Boris Johnson’s landslide electoral victory of last December, which mandated a potential no-deal exit from the European Union. At the time of writing, chances of a deal appear no better than 50/50.

Subscriber Access

You must be logged in to view full premium content.

Links

  • Forgot your password?
  • Subscribe now
  • Subscriber Login

  • Latest Issue

    LB300 cover

    • 300 not out…the story of Legal Business spanning three decades
    • The Euro Elite 2021: Keeping the cogs turning
    • The Euro Elite overview: Enduring endurance
    • The Euro Elite: Main Table
    • Getting personal – perspectives on crisis management in the Covid-19 era
    • Leader: Learning from the ghosts of decades past
    • Pritchard: Depressing end to Weinstein gagging order narrative means closure for none
    • Life During Law: Anu Balasubramanian
    • The Legal 500 View: The rise of US firms from barbarians at the gate to London’s top tiers
  • Sponsored Briefings

    • Sponsored briefing: The calculation of individual dismissals under Directive 98/59/EC

      In these turbulent times we are experiencing in the workplace, with a constantly changing legislative framework, the Spanish legal landscape was recently altered by the judgment handed down on 11 January 2020 by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), on collective redundancies (case C-300/19). Whereas, just before the summer, news was appearing…

    • Sponsored practice area spotlight: Insolvency and restructuring: Combining unique skills to achieve a successful outcome

      Insolvency and restructuring proceedings are intricate and complex. Practitioners must be able to combine legal knowledge, in particular in the areas of litigation, finance and transactions, with strategic, tactical and managerial skills to deliver positive results. Prager Dreifuss has extensive experience and a longstanding tradition in insolvency and restructuring matters. In the wake of the…

    • Sponsored briefing: The pandemic and Portuguese capital markets

      In 2019, our article in Legal Business ended as follows: ‘Therefore, with the benefits of a renewed legal and regulatory framework and of an environment where low interest rates facilitate access to funding, 2020 is likely to follow in line with the current year, promising continued intense activity and diversity’. In January 2020, VdA organised…

  • Related by topic

    The Global 100 – The stories of the year
  • Related by topic

    Melissa Butler
    A year of two halves for White & Case as City revenue drops after tricky start to 2019
  • Most read this week

    1. Diversity guaranteed in Linklaters senior partner race as Jacobs takes JP Morgan role
    2. Baptism of fire: New Hogan Lovells chiefs unveil record results as PEP nudges $2m
    3. Revolving doors: Linklaters senior partner candidate replaces Moriarty at Diageo as accountancy GC lands at Clydes
    4. ‘Huge implications’: employment experts assess fallout from Supreme Court ruling against Uber
    5. Revolving doors: A&O makes Manhattan finance move as Slaughters sees rare partner departure

    Analysis

    • LB300 – issue menu

    • Access your print copy online – LB300

    • 300 not out…the story of Legal Business spanning three decades

    • The Euro Elite 2021: Keeping the cogs turning

    • The Euro Elite overview: Enduring endurance

    • Euro Elite: Baltics – Small yet spirited

    • Euro Elite: Benelux – Reasons to be cheerful

    Useful Links

    • The Legal 500
    • GC Magazine
    • GC Powerlist
    • In-house Lawyer Magazine
    • The Lex 100
    • Legalease Law Journals
    • Legalease Publishing
    • Tax Directors Handbook
    • Practical Lawyer

    © 2021 Legal Business Magazine

    Legalease Ltd, 188 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2AG

    T: +44 (0)20 7396 9313 | E: subscriptions@legalease.co.uk

    About & Contacts | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Subscriptions