Richest Law Firms Bulk Up Litigation Teams as Demand Spikes

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The legal industry is witnessing a profound shift in priorities. The wealthiest U.S. law firms—long dominated by dealmakers and corporate rainmakers—are now racing to expand their litigation practices as courtroom and regulatory battles intensify across industries.

Firms such as Kirkland & Ellis, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Davis Polk & Wardwell, and Paul Hastings LLP have all significantly increased their litigation ranks, with headcount growth of 22% or more since early 2024, The move underscores a new competitive front in Big Law: not just competing for billion-dollar deals, but for the top trial lawyers capable of handling high-stakes disputes.

Litigation Overtakes Deals as the Industry’s Growth Engine

For years, corporate and M&A work defined the upper tier of Big Law profitability. Firms funneled their resources toward mergers, private equity deals, and cross-border transactions. But with global deal flow slowing, that balance has shifted dramatically.

  

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Data from the 50 highest-grossing law firms shows that litigation departments—once viewed as secondary to transactional practices—are now driving growth. Across firms that reported detailed figures, litigation headcounts rose by over 5%, outpacing corporate expansion.

This rise comes as transactional workloads decline. Over the past ten quarters, litigation-related billable hours have grown by 2.8% per quarter, while M&A work has fallen by about 1.8%. Those numbers highlight a clear pivot: courtroom activity is thriving while dealmaking lags.

Profitability and Performance Defy Old Assumptions

Historically, corporate deals have been viewed as more profitable than litigation because they tend to produce steady revenue from major clients. However, new evidence suggests the opposite may now be true for certain firms.

A report by Citi’s Law Firm Group found that firms with strong litigation concentrations are outperforming expectations on profitability metrics. High realization rates (the proportion of billed hours actually collected) and steady case demand have fueled stable earnings even as deal pipelines shrink.

Paul Hastings LLP provides a prime example. Its litigation revenue has surged by 60% in just four years—a remarkable climb that reflects strategic investment in disputes work. Chair Frank Lopez recently emphasized that the practice operates on equal footing with the firm’s renowned transactional group:

This parity marks a new era for law firm business models. The most successful firms are no longer defined solely by their ability to close billion-dollar mergers—they’re now judged by their capacity to defend, prosecute, and navigate high-stakes legal challenges.

Recruitment Wars: Stockpiling Litigators for the Future

With demand surging, firms are engaged in aggressive lateral and associate hiring campaigns to fortify their litigation benches. Among 33 firms that disclosed first-year litigation associate data, those that expanded the most included several of the nation’s top profit leaders—Sullivan & Cromwell, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Ropes & Gray, and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.

This recruiting push is not limited to New York or Washington, D.C. Firms are building litigation depth in regional offices as well, betting on growing demand across financial services, technology, and healthcare sectors.

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, for example, expanded its business-trial practice by over 17% year-on-year, largely by attracting partners from firms that underinvested in litigation. Chair Luke Bergstrom noted that the expansion was part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen the firm’s national trial platform amid rising client demand.

A Measured Rebuild to Pre-Pandemic Strength

Despite this rapid growth, the proportion of litigators at top firms still trails pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, litigators represented just over 30% of attorneys at the highest-grossing firms. By 2022, that share had dipped to 27.2% amid the M&A boom, before climbing back to 28.8% in 2024.

The trajectory suggests a steady, strategic rebuild rather than a short-term spike. Many firms view the resurgence of litigation not as a temporary correction but as a realignment of priorities. The market now rewards firms with balanced portfolios capable of weathering cyclical deal downturns.

As one senior partner put it, “For high-end, bet-the-company litigation, the demands have increased year-over-year for the last three or four years.” Complex regulatory regimes, environmental litigation, and antitrust enforcement are expected to fuel this demand well into 2026.

The Strategic Takeaway

The message from the data is unmistakable: litigation is no longer a supporting act—it’s a star performer in the Big Law arena. As firms battle for premier trial talent and invest heavily in dispute-resolution practices, the gap between diversified firms and transaction-dependent ones may widen further.

For aspiring associates, litigators, and lateral partners, this is a pivotal moment. Opportunities in high-stakes litigation are expanding faster than ever, particularly at elite firms seeking to future-proof their practices. Those with courtroom expertise, regulatory acumen, or class-action experience are in prime position to advance their careers.

For legal professionals looking to break into or advance within the nation’s top litigation practices, now is the time to act. Visit LawCrossing.com to explore exclusive litigation job openings at top-tier law firms and discover how you can position yourself for success in the fast-growing world of high-stakes legal advocacy.