A Look at the Landscape of Law in Virginia
From the southern tip of Virginia near the North Carolina border, to the northern tip at the Maryland border and everywhere in between, the state of Virginia is home to 28 of the largest 1,000 law firms in the country, making it an important piece of the overall U.S. legal market and a strong local legal presence for the mid-Atlantic states. Overall, Virginia ranks No. 9 when it comes to the most law firms with $200,000 or more in gross revenue, and ranks 10th for the number of firms with $500,000 or more in gross revenue.
Richmond, Virginia is home to 164 total law firms (75 for solo practitioners) and 2,965 attorneys, followed closely by Norfolk and Virginia Beach with 143 total firms (86 solos) and 2,662 attorneys. Other large local markets include Arlington and nearby Washington D.C., where there are 127 total firms (71 solos) and 2,327 attorneys in Arlington, and 87 total firms (38 solos) and 1,373 attorneys in McLean. Harrisonburg has four firms (three solo) and 25 attorneys, Dulles has three firms (two solo) and 26 attorneys, Virginia Beach has 12 firms (three solo) and 234 attorneys .
There are currently 80 judges with court jurisdiction in Virginia, which boasts a total of 2,891,539 residents according to the 2022 U.S. census.
As of 2023, there are 15,289 active attorneys in Virginia, which breaks down to 70.8% of the total state population living in Northern Virginia, and the remaining 29.2% living in the next 5 largest metros. The top 5 local markets accounting for the majority of law firm revenue include Richmond, Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, and Charlottesville.
Northern Virginia has the highest average attorney revenue per firm at $1.2 million and $319,000 median revenue per firm. The Richmond area is a close second in average attorney revenue at $1.136 million, and for median attorney revenue, Virginia Beach has the lowest median revenue of $184,000.
Horning lauded Virginia as an increasingly competitive legal market as firms continue to expand and migrate to the state.
"Cost-wise, the state is really competitive with many other markets across the Southeast, and Virginia is growing and changing all the time and there’s a lot of opportunity here," Torning said.
How Large Commercial Law Firms are Ranked
When it comes to determining the ranking of the largest law firms in Virginia, we utilize various criteria. The primary factor considered is the number of attorneys that a law firm has within the Commonwealth. However, we also consider geographical presence, annual revenue, and scope of services – such as whether a firm specializes in a particular area of practice or has an office in Richmond – when ranking firms. Another significant consideration is the number of law schools from which a firm recruits. Some firms have relationships with multiple Virginia law schools and hope to build their class from among those schools.
Snapshot of the 10 Largest Law Firms in Virginia
For several years now, Virginia Business magazine has published their annual ranking the "100 Largest Virginia-Based Law Firms" based on size, total revenue, revenue per attorney and lawyer/headcount ratio.
Here is a look at the top 10 largest law firms on the list:
1. Reed Smith
Reed Smith is an international law firm with more than 1700 lawyers in offices around the world. The firm politics itself as being focused on Asia, Europe, London, the Middle East, United States and a "global" area of focus. Reed Smith was founded in 1877 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Reed Smith entered the Virginia market in 2012 by combining with local firm Hazel & Thomas.
2. Hirschler Fleischer
Founded in Richmond in 1893, Hirschler Fleischer is a corporate boutique lawfirm with nearly 70 lawyers with an aggressive growth strategy. The firm made a significant growth spurt over the past few years by adding many attorneys from other firms without taking on a merger.
3. McGuireWoods
McGuireWoods was founded in 1834 in Richmond, Virginia and is now one of the largest law firms in the U.S., with more than 1,000 lawyers in 23 U.S. Cities and 5 countries. The firm has 22 practice areas, including real estate and construction, intellectual property, environmental, litigation and appeals, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and investment management, labor and employment, tax, trusts and estates, commercial lending, investment banking and entertainment, media and advertising.
4. Williams Mullen
Williams Mullen was formed in 1890 by Rowe Mullen and Macon Williams . Today the firm has more than 200 attorneys at offices in Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Fairfax, Harrisonburg, Northern Virginia, and North Carolina. The firm has 9 practice areas including corporate, immigration, intellectual property, real estate, environmental, litigation, employee benefits and executive compensation employment and labor and tax.
5. Jones Day
Founded in Cleveland in 1893, Jones Day is the fifth largest law firm in the U.S. It has more than 250 lawyers in their DC and Northern Virginia offices. The firm has 20 practice areas, including capital markets and securities, antitrust and competition, intellectual property, labor and employment, private equity/joint ventures and environmental as well as a diversity and inclusion practice. Jones Day has been listed as one of Fortune magazine’s 100 "Best Companies to Work For" for several years.
6. Baker & McKenzie
Baker & McKenzie is the premier global law firm with more than 4,500 lawyers in 77 offices serving clients in 46 countries. Founded in Chicago in 1949, Baker & McKenzie has a strong presence in the DC metro area. Although the firm has 45 practice areas, its "core" practice areas include antitrust/competition, banking/finance, business crimes, corporate, employment, energy, environmental, tax and trade and customs.
7. LeClairRyan
Founded in 1988, LeClairRyan first became a full-service law firm when it added labor and employment, mergers and acquisitions and litigation practices. The firm has grown into a regional powerhouse with more than 300 lawyers in offices in Delaware, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and DC. They are known for their land use, liquor licensing and business tax practices in particular.
8. Eckert Seamans
Eckert Seamans is a general practice firm, founded in 1962 with more than 700 lawyers in 13 U.S. cities and three abroad. It is a former AmLaw200 firm that is now a regional firm with 7 offices throughout DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. With a history of significant mergers over the years, the firm’s practice groups include commercial litigation, labor and employment, and insurance coverage, workers compensation and defense.
9. Fox Rothschild
Fox Rothschild is a general practice law firm with 6 offices in Virginia, including Richmond and the Shore, which was added in 2016 when the firm expanded into the Mid-Atlantic region. The firm advises its clients in the following areas: residential and commercial real estate, land use, environmental, intellectual property, litigation and employment.
10. Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Miles & Stockbridge P.C. is a general practice law firm with more than 200 lawyers in several Mid-Atlantic states including Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. Founded in 1867, Miles & Stockbridge offers services in the following areas: litigation, business and finance, real estate and land use, health care, intellectual property, labor and employment, nonprofit organizations, tax and government relations.
Law Firm Growth and Trends Amongst the Giants
Growth has been a significant theme among many of Virginia’s largest law firms in recent years. As the legal services market evolves, some firms have tackled the challenges head on by expanding their presence through careful mergers, while others have sought to specialize in the emerging practice areas relevant to their core clients, and some have forged alliances across state lines. Additionally, the onset of adaptive technology has forced some law firms to adopt new structures that leverage technological efficiencies and new methods for bringing lawyers together.
In recent years, the largest law firms in Virginia have grown through measured, strategic mergers. These combinations have focused on geographic locations of opportunity, geographical proximity, and/or industry-based specialty. For example, Williams Mullen has more than doubled its number of attorneys and staff through a string of mergers with firms located in Hampton Roads and Richmond that include Conroy & Davenport, Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, and McGuireWoods, and has expanded its practice specialties by adding residential and commercial real estate and bankruptcy from these combinations. In 2017, Williams Mullen acquired Trozzolo Communications Group, a marketing company based in Richmond, Virginia. The merger marked Williams Mullen’s first foray into the field of public relations with an agency devoted to brand building and digital marketing.
Another noteworthy example of strategic growth by merger is that of Willcox Savage, a Norfolk-based law firm with roots that extend back to the Civil War. Willcox recently announced its expansion into Richmond following a merger with the Richmond office of Morris & Morris, a two-attorney firm that Willcox Savage said offers "synergies" with its team, as well as the additional qualities that the firm sought to complement its existing practice areas. The merger has positioned Willcox Savage as one of the region’s top Tier 1 law firms in commercial litigation according to US News & World Report Best Firms Guide. It also marks the law firm’s third merger in less than a year. Last year, Willcox Savage merged with Richmond-based James H. Oliver, Jr., a firm and individual primarily representing litigation and business law clients, and Richmond-based Carter George & Associates, a tax and financial planning advisory group. The expanded firm will operate under the Willcox Savage name and highlight the full range of expertise available to its clients in Virginia and North Carolina.
Similarly, Virginia Beach-based Vonah & Allen has added new specialties to its Firm and expanded into the Northern Virginia real estate market through its merger with Lutz & Reinhardt earlier this year. The merger marks a significant geographic expansion for Vonah & Allen, which was founded just three years ago with five attorneys in Virginia Beach , and announces its entrance into the Northern Virginia market which includes commercial real estate and land use practice groups.
The Southern Virginia office of Bowen Ten Card Parchman & Murphy in Danville has also expanded into the Roanoke, Virginia area following a merger with Welsh & Bruce, a Roanoke real estate law firm.
As more clients look for law firms with specific expertise in niche areas of the law, the largest Virginia law firms have increasingly turned to focused specialization in practice areas such as intellectual property, technology, government contracts, health care, and construction. This trend has manifested in the hiring of lateral partners and experienced practice groups from elsewhere, by expanding existing practice groups, by developing niche law school curricular offerings, by sponsoring bar association education seminars, and by becoming active in industry associations and trade shows. For example, Wood Rogers, a Richmond, Virginia-based engineering and architecture firm, has expanded its legal offerings through a number of niche practice and industry groups, including its Tax Credit Finance Group, Construction Law Group, and its Disaster Response Team.
A growing industry while the legal market is still struggling – Appalachian Utilities Board Acting General Counsel, where Ilegal consults are often used.
Adaptive technology has also played an important role in the reorganization and growth of several of Virginia’s top law firms. The shift from billable hours to fixed fees has challenged firms to adapt their business model to a post-billable-hour environment. This struggle hits home in particular for the largest Virginia law firms, as they have greater overhead costs that need to be covered by fewer billable hours. These same firms must find ways to justify their premium billing rates that are higher than those of their local competitors. To address these problems, some of Virginia’s largest law firms have embraced technology to streamline the way they practice and to enhance the value they provide to their clients. For example, Roanoke, Virginia-based Gentry Locke has dedicated several practice groups to the development and application of technology. Its litigation department has embraced predictive coding and artificial intelligence to revolutionize the way its lawyers handle litigation, documents and e-discovery. As a result, Gentry Locke’s Litigation Group has slashed its standard e-discovery review time by 40 percent over the past year alone. Other Gentry Locke offerings include proprietary tools for targeted information gathering and document review, and a consulting practice for cybersecurity. The firm credits much of its success to its creative staffing, including clinical fellows in its growing e-discovery practice.
State lines notwithstanding, transforming the legal industry to embrace technological change is as complex as the challenges posed by adaptive technology. These issues affect firms at every size and location. The challenge is to seize the opportunity to make the move to tomorrow.
The Impact of the 10 Largest on Local Legal Communities
The impact of the largest law firms in Virginia goes well beyond their towering office buildings and ritzy banquets. As keepers of the rule of law, these firms play a pivotal role in the local business communities, providing counsel to help businesses flourish and grow.
A 2014 Business Roundtable survey of 134 large companies found that 93 percent of CEOs believe "responsible corporate conduct" leads to improved financial performance. Their commitment to their communities, to their employees, and to "corporate citizenship" is clear, with many of the largest law firms in Virginia having long histories of community engagement and support.
Copperfield provides critical support Pursuant to the Virginia Supreme Court’s Pro Bono Rule, attorneys are required to provide at least two days of pro bono service per year, or donate at least $500 to charity. However, many firms far exceed the minimum, as evidenced by a few of the top 10 largest law firms in Virginia.
Of the over 600,000 pro bono hours reported statewide by Virginia attorneys in 2018, 25,900 of them were reported by Hunton Andrews Kurth, who touts their "commitment to social responsibility" and is considered a leader in pro bono service. The firm’s volunteer work spans a range of areas, including environmental protection, legal aid, civil rights, economic development, hunger, disaster relief, and wildlife conservation. In 2017, the firm received the Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo)’s award for the most pro bono hours nationwide from a law firm, rising up to first place again in 2018.
After a 2018 corporate merger, Hunton Andrews Kurth continues to be a leader in contributions to low-income Virginia residents, partnering with Central Virginia Legal Aid Society and the Central Virginia Food Bank to sponsor an annual food drive that has collected over 21,000 pounds of food over the past five years.
Pro bono effort for homeless citizens In addition to its impressive pro bono record, Reed Smith also demonstrates robust community support through volunteer work, client development, and matching or donation programs. The firm has worked with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) for almost 20 years on the Stepping Stone program, which provides free legal assistance to homeless citizens. Reed Smith attorneys act as mentors to program participants, providing assistance with issues such as invalid criminal convictions, health care needs, child custody, and employment.
"The Stepping Stone program has created a bond of trust between Reed Smith and members of Richmond’s homeless community," said Reed Smith attorney Lizzie Jacobsen, who works directly with the RRHA and mentors clients.
Peer2Peer Network A newer community program, the Peer2Peer Network, was piloted by Hunton Andrew Kurth in 2018 to provide support, career guidance, and wellness initiatives to associates. Designed by and for associates, the program offers enhanced tools to help them connect within the firm, providing face-to-face networking opportunities such as "Brown Bag" lunch sessions, yoga classes, meditation workshops, professional development seminars, community engagement, and pro-bono opportunities.
"The goals are twofold: to help associates cultivate relationships that will provide lifelong professional and personal value," said Alison Hoffman, who leads Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Professional Development team and has spent over 12 years in this role.
As these and other programs demonstrate, large law firms in Virginia have influence far beyond their bottom line, as their leadership in pro bono work, community service, donations, and corporate social responsibility empowers them to be powerful forces for good in their communities.
Selecting a Large Law Firm for Your Legal Needs
Choosing a large law firm to represent you is a decidedly individual choice. Applicants to the largest law firms in Virginia consider such factors as their ability to join the firm’s practice areas of focus; the confidence and comfort level with the firm’s attorneys; the reputation of the firm, its lawyers, and its clients; the practice area’s proximity to their home base; prospects for advancement; and the firm’s lateral recruiting history. To the extent the firm’s size is an issue for the candidate, it is typically based on the firm’s economic strength, firm culture, and specific practice focus. For example, financial capability may be reflected in a strong cash position and higher hourly billing rates paid by well-established, larger clients. Firm culture may be measured less factually in terms of competitive collaboration vis-a-vis informational support and firm name recognition attainable largely through client development assistance, but still quite important to the candidate.
For clients seeking legitimate input into their decision in selecting a law firm, the firm’s mélange of culture, economic strength, industry and company focus, and client service record is much more important than its membership in a list of the largest law firms in Virginia.
The large and very large law firms in Virginia are, without doubt, among the most capable law firms in the state. Both AM 200 and NLJ 350 firms have some of the highest revenues and legal resources available. They boast some of the most capable , experienced and distinguished attorneys working across a variety of fields and practice areas. They have the resources to commit to their clients whatever it takes to solve any problem and are uniquely positioned to handle the complex consumer-oriented and back-offices deals so prevalent today.
Clients need to give serious thought to their choice of a law firm. Size and/or scope of that firm’s practice is a good indication of a law firm’s capabilities and general reputation. In this very large world, however, most consumers are looking for a law firm that focuses on them. Certainly, large firms offer impressive talents, in-depth expertise, and broad geographic reach from which to choose. At the same time, however, the top law firms in Virginia also boast smaller teams of lawyers who practice almost exclusively in a specific field. This gives a law firm’s clients the best of both worlds: the support of a large firm that can devote significant resources to solving any problem, while at the same time working closely with senior lawyers who have spent their careers honing issues.
While the answer will differ for each client, the key factors in choosing one of the largest or very largest law firms in Virginia to represent you include whether your matter is of the highest level of complexity, which large law firms are particularly suited to handle; whether you will require legal counsel for more than one issue, large law firms are particularly skilled at handling multiple matters in closely-related practice areas; whether you can benefit from the many industry groups large law firms devote to commonly experienced problems faced by particular industries; whether you will need the broad geographic presence E-ALM firms offer; whether you will require the high-quality expertise available at large law firms; and/or whether you will need to benefit from the large teams of attorneys available to operate as required on your behalf.
