PARTNERS
a place where you can prosper
83
2020
Our uncommon financial strength generates industry-leading lateral success.
The numbers speak for themselves and we think you’ll like what you see.
93
2019
90
2018
10
Barnes & Thornburg is built upon a value-focused business model, and is known for innovation and a commitment to client service. We are passionate about learning our clients’ business and that passion, coupled with billing rates that are lower than those of most of our national peers and a favorable cost structure, has led to our growth. We are able to offer competitive and compelling fee arrangements without sacrificing economic rewards for our partners.
We consciously model the attributes now proving critical to success in the evolving large firm environment: effective lateral integration, geographic inclusion, and fiscal transparency. Our financial incentives reward productivity, motivate cross-selling, and foster firmwide collegiality.
What we hear from laterals who join our firm is that they are impressed with the depth and quality of the Barnes & Thornburg lawyers they meet.
EMPOWERMENT
FLEXIBILITY
COLLEGIALITY
Empowering. Flexible. Collegial. These are the qualities that attract attorneys to Barnes & Thornburg and help ensure their successful integration into the firm. Beyond talk, we put these principles into practice every day.
Many of our partners came from other firms, and lateral partners occupy important leadership roles here. They chair or co-chair key practices, serve on the Management Committee, and help guide the firm’s direction in countless ways. We’re proud to have created a workplace where all backgrounds, experiences, and opinions are truly valued.
I was blown away at how smooth the transition was to Barnes & Thornburg. I started my move on a Thursday, and was ready to run my deals full speed ahead by Monday!
Sal LaViña
Partner, Los Angeles
We offer a proven platform to successful lawyers from other firms who struggle with inflexible and escalating rate structures that are no longer acceptable to their clients. In fact, partners at Barnes & Thornburg enjoy significant input in determining their individual billing rates and can tailor them to meet their particular market and client needs.
There is more freedom in setting your own direction and shaping your own practice here. That kind of independence is very important when
you have a niche practice as I do.
Linda Weinberg
Partner, Washington, D.C.
Our friendly culture spurs a great deal of cross-selling opportunities between offices and departments. In fact, over the past two years, 17 percent of our billable hours were cross-sold between offices and 30 percent between departments. Incentives for cross-selling are built into our economic and compensation systems — that’s how important it is to the firm.
I joined for the opportunity to team with high-caliber white collar and investigations lawyers like former U.S. Attorneys Roscoe Howard and Mike Battle. It allows me to offer corporate and entertainment industry clients sophisticated legal services for the complex matters they’re facing.
William "Billy" Martin
Partner, Washington, D.C.
Guided by Our Core Values
At Barnes & Thornburg, we live and work by the values that have guided the firm for nearly 100 years. But that doesn’t mean we are stagnant. Quite the opposite.
Excellence
Service
Transparency
Consensus oriented decision making
Democratic principles
Collegiality
For our clients that means delivering uncommon value, far above and beyond the expected. It means a relentless focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness. It means dedicated action on diversity initiatives and top talent recruitment.
For our people it means vast opportunity, meaningful rewards, rich diversity, and a welcoming culture that emphasizes collegiality and collaboration.
JOIN US AT THE HEART OF BUSINESS
Uncommon value.
Uncommon talent.
A collection of diverse thinkers to inspire continual growth and improvement.
Team members who share your commitment to passion and purpose.
Challenging, sophisticated cases
to satisfy your intellectual curiosity.
Surround yourself with the best. Continue lifelong learning and the pursuit of excellence with a team that has your back.
CONTACT US
active
practice
areas
50+
Aggressively
Full Service
Legal Professionals
700+
offices
19
Lateral integration
Finding your home at Barnes & Thornburg
RAPID INTEGRATION
HANDS-ON APPROACH
AMPLE ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES
We know what qualities to look for in a candidate — the kind that will help them prosper in this environment. When you arrive, you’ve already earned the trust of our partners and other legal professionals, and they will
readily give you work.
Cross-selling is central to our collective and individual success, and our colleagues can’t sell us if they don’t know we exist. The integration process and budget during my first year were instrumental in building valuable relationships across the firm.
Tabitha Meier
Partner, Indianapolis
Successful lateral integration is built into our culture and processes, and it starts with the recruitment and interview phase.
We follow a deliberate and thoughtful plan, beginning on the day of acceptance through a period of 24 months. The process is carefully managed by our Director of Lateral Integration, who oversees every detail of onboarding and integration over that time.
We take integrating new partners into the firm seriously.
The onboarding and integration process includes full access to our public relations team, business development coaching, accounting and other services vital to your ongoing success.
Whatever support you need,
we’ll get it for you.
Profits Per Lawyer Rank AmLaw 100
40
Profits Per Equity Partner
1 million+
2023 AmLaw 100 Rank
2022 Revenue
$466+ million
$406+ million
$395+ million
15%
3%
Profit Margin Rank AmLaw 100
6
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion permeates every aspect of how we conduct business.
We strive to reflect the clients we serve and the communities we serve. We define, promote, and embrace diversity broadly to foster authentic inclusion.
LEARN MORE
active
practice
areas
50+
Aggressively
Full Service
Legal Professionals
800+
offices
23
Profit Margin Rank AmLaw 100
12
Profits Per Lawyer Rank AmLaw 100
47
Profits Per Equity Partner
$1 million+
Barnes & Thornburg average
of lateral partners hired from 2018 through 2022 still with the firm
83%
Source: ALM Intelligence-Decipher Lateral Partner Hiring Survey (Februrary 2019)
of U.S. lateral partners who stay with their firm a full five years*
Industry average
60%
Source: Thomson Reuters, 2020
Standard hourly rates are
less than other AmLaw 100 firms
18%
recent laterals in leadership positions
46
Source: ALM Legal Compass Lateral Moves Report (this report has been discontinued)
Ranked in number of 2020 U.S. lateral partner hires
13
CONTACT US
Uncommon value.
Uncommon talent.
Surround yourself with the best. Continue lifelong learning and the pursuit of excellence with a team that has your back.
A collection of diverse thinkers to inspire continual growth and improvement.
Team members who share your commitment to passion and purpose.
Challenging, sophisticated cases
to satisfy your intellectual curiosity.
JOIN US AT THE HEART OF BUSINESS
78
$506+ million
2021
5
9%
78
$506+ million
2021
5
9%
76
$609 million
2023
2
6%