The American Lawyer magazine has recognized Husch Blackwell among the top 100 law firms in the United States in its 2022 Am Law 100 rankings, released April 26. The annual ranking is based on gross revenue and includes a variety of other measures of law firm size and profitability. Husch Blackwell placed 91st, a rise of four spots from its 2021 ranking, marking the fourth time in the past five years the firm has ranked among the top 100.
“The legal industry experienced tremendous growth in 2021 with more than half of Am Law 100 firms experiencing double-digit revenue growth, including our firm,” said Husch Blackwell Chair Catherine Hanaway. “Of those 38 firms, however, only nine posted larger percentage increases in overall headcount. We continue to experience strong top-line growth while investing in our platform and for the future."
On a full-time equivalent basis, Husch Blackwell added a net of 56 attorneys during 2021, an increase of more than eight percent year over year. This surge in headcount was highlighted by the April 2021 opening of two new California offices—in Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area—occasioned by the arrival of a 21-lawyer litigation team. In addition, the firm expanded into New England with new offices in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, after a business combination with Summit Health Law Partners, a boutique law firm focused on the healthcare industry.
Husch Blackwell’s gross revenue increased 14.3 percent in 2021, topping $476 million, which was in line with the Am Law 100 average of 14.8 percent. However, 57.3 percent of the gains were realized by the top 25 firms. Husch Blackwell outpaced the second quartile (firms 26 through 50), which saw a 13.8 percent increase, the third quartile (51 through 75), which increased 11.8 percent, and the fourth quartile (76 through 100), which jumped 9.7 percent.
“Our strategic plan calls for growth, and we are focused on doing it in a sustainable way that remains true to our culture and our client-service orientation,” Hanaway said. “We are exploring all options, from launching new practice groups—like the Psychedelics & Emerging Therapies team—and entering new geographies, as we did last year in New England and California, to considering larger business combinations.”