A guide to the law firm Baker McKenzie: what it’s best known for, recent work highlights, what it pays, and its revenue and profitability.
Baker McKenzie is a US-headquartered law firm which, today, stands as one of the biggest law firms in the world (in both the headcount and revenue stakes).
A transactional powerhouse with serious cross-border clout, the firm’s story began in 1948, when Russell Baker and John McKenzie shared a chance taxi ride in Chicago. Just a year later, Baker McKenzie was founded.
Today, the firm has far outgrown its Chicago roots. It boasts 77 offices across 47 countries and calls itself “the original global law firm”. It’s actually the biggest US law firm by headcount overall, boasting more than 5,000 lawyers.
Bakers pioneered the Swiss verein model (same brand globally but no pooling of revenue or profits) in 2004 to accelerate its global expansion, paving the way for similarly vast firms like Dentons and DLA Piper to follow suit. The firm says that more than 65% of its deals span multiple jurisdictions, making it a dominant force in cross-border M&A.
London has been central to Bakers’ rise. It landed in the City in 1961, making it one of the first US law firms in London to do so. Today, the London office is the firm’s largest, with over 500 lawyers.
The office is a leading name in corporate/M&A, private equity, banking and finance, capital markets and – most notably – TMT where it’s considered a go-to adviser.
Growth is the game plan. In the five years up to the end of 2023, the London office made 21 lateral hires in corporate alone, poaching talent from the likes of Linklaters, A&O Shearman and Orrick. Its transactional practice is thriving, with private equity a major focus.
The office is on the up too. In October 2023, Bakers moved into its new London HQ at 280 Bishopsgate. Think open plan, flexible workspaces, rooftop terraces and eco-friendly design. Green spaces and modern facilities add to the appeal.
The expansion reflects the firm’s commitment to staying on the front foot globally.
Revenues today stand at $3.4 billion – making it a top 10 player worldwide – while back in 2014, it became the first law firm to break the $2.5 billion revenue mark. Today, it remains one of the biggest names in the legal world, with few signs of slowing down.