Making the 'A' list

For the second straight year, L.A.-based Munger Tolles tops American Lawyer's annual list of best law firms - not necessarily the ones that bill the most hours or generate the most profits per partner. Besides financial performance, A-Listers must also have a strong commitment to pro-bono work, emphasize diversity, and make sure lawyers are well-trained. Another L.A.-based firm, Latham & Watkins, tied for second. Here's what was said about Munger Tolles:

Munger isn't highly leveraged with associates, which tends to make for more satisfied young lawyers. The firm also maintains a strong cultural commitment to pro bono. "We want to give back to the community, and we think it makes for better lawyers," says Mark Helm, one of Munger's co-managing partners. He notes that about a year ago, management noticed a dip in pro bono activity and made a push to bring it back up. The California firm also cares about diversity. (Minorities make up 22 percent of its lawyers and 15 percent of its partners.) "We have made a strategic decision to look more systematically at diversity," says Helm.

Charlie Munger, long-time investment partner of Warren Buffett, founded the firm with six other lawyers in 1962. There are a lot of notables, including partner Ron Olson and Jeff Bleich, on leave to serve as Special Counsel to President Obama.


More by Mark Lacter:
American-US Air settlement with DOJ includes small tweak at LAX
Socal housing market going nowhere fast
Amazon keeps pushing for faster L.A. delivery
Another rugged quarter for Tribune Co. papers
How does Stanford compete with the big boys?
Those awful infographics that promise to explain and only distort
Best to low-ball today's employment report
Further fallout from airport shootings
Crazy opening for Twitter*
Should Twitter be valued at $18 billion?
Recent stories:
Letter from Down Under: Welcome to the Homogenocene
One last Florida photo
Signs of Saturday: No refund
'I Am Woman,' hear them roar
Bobcat crossing

New at LA Observed
On the Media Page
Go to Media

On the Politics Page
Go to Politics
Arts and culture

Sign up for daily email from LA Observed

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


Advertisement
Mark Lacter
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.
 
Mark Lacter, business writer and editor was 59
The multi-talented Mark Lacter
LA Observed on Twitter and Facebook