www.pwc.com/lfsurveys 2010 Law Firm Statistical Survey (MPR) Issued: May 2011
Issued: May 2011 Confidential This report is intended solely for the use of Partners and authorized employees of the participating firm. 2011 All rights reserved
TABLE OF CONTENTS Topic Page Section I - National Law Firm Trends Gross Fees per Lawyer by Firm Size and Market 1 Net Income per Lawyer by Firm Size and Market 2 Operating Expenses per Lawyer by Firm Size and Market 3 Ratio of Other Lawyers to Equity Partners by Firm Size and Market 4 Legal Staff Growth by Firm Size and Market 5 Section II - Your Firm's Results Comparison Group Information 6 Revenue Trends 7 Profitability Trends 8 Expense Summary 9-11 Leverage Ratios 12 Utilization 13 Billings and Collections 14 Capital and Debt 15 Support Staff Ratios 16 Guide to Interpreting the Stacked Bar Graphs Presented in this Report Appendix
NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS
Page 1 NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS $680,000 Gross Fees per Lawyer by Firm Size and Market inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 Size Comparisons Tiered 1 Geographical Market Comparisons $780,000 $630,000 $730,000 $680,000 $580,000 $630,000 $530,000 $580,000 $530,000 $480,000 $480,000 $430,000 Small Mid Large Mega $430,000 Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV Growth Rates - Gross Fees per Lawyer Growth Rates - Gross Fees per Lawyer Small Mid Large Mega Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV '06 to '10 (4.8%) (0.3%) 1.1% 2.4% '06 to '10 0.0% 4.6% (1.3%) (1.1%) '09 to '10 (0.6%) 4.5% 2.6% 0.8% '09 to '10 4.3% 3.4% (1.7%) 2.1% Small: 50-100 attorneys Tier I: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Midsize: 101-250 attorneys Tier II: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Minn., Phila, Wash DC Large: 251-500 attorneys Tier III: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis Mega: >500 attorneys Tier IV: All Other Cities 1 Tier groups were developed to offer comparisons among similar firms, using a combination of factors including market size, economic rating, retail and wholesale trade, and industrial activity. NYC-based firms have been excluded from all Tier groups.
Page 2 NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS Net Income per Equity Partner by Firm Size and Market inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 $780,000 Size Comparisons $980,000 Tiered 1 Geographical Market Comparisons $730,000 $680,000 $630,000 $880,000 $780,000 $580,000 $680,000 $530,000 $480,000 $430,000 $580,000 $480,000 $380,000 Small Mid Large Mega $380,000 Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV Growth Rates - Net Income per Equity Partner Growth Rates - Net Income per Equity Partner Small Mid Large Mega Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV '06 to '10 (13.0%) 10.4% (0.8%) (0.8%) '06 to '10 16.9% 10.3% 3.1% (3.7%) '09 to '10 (7.1%) 11.7% 6.2% 0.1% '09 to '10 18.8% 2.8% (4.1%) 3.3% Small: 50-100 attorneys Tier I: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Midsize: 101-250 attorneys Tier II: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Minn., Phila, Wash DC Large: 251-500 attorneys Tier III: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis Mega: >500 attorneys Tier IV: All Other Cities 2 Tier groups were developed to offer comparisons among similar firms, using a combination of factors including market size, economic rating, retail and wholesale trade, and industrial activity. NYC-based firms have been excluded from all Tier groups.
Page 3 NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS Operating Expenses per Lawyer 1 by Firm Size and Market inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 $265,000 Size Comparisons $265,000 Tiered 2 Geographical Market Comparisons $255,000 $255,000 $245,000 $245,000 $235,000 $235,000 $225,000 $225,000 $215,000 $215,000 $205,000 $205,000 $195,000 $195,000 $185,000 $185,000 $175,000 $175,000 $165,000 Small Mid Large Mega $165,000 Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV Growth Rates - Operating Expenses per Lawyer Growth Rates - Operating Expenses per Lawyer Small Mid Large Mega Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV '06 to '10 (10.6%) 0.4% (2.4%) (0.7%) '06 to '10 2.9% (0.1%) (3.9%) (2.8%) '09 to '10 (5.8%) 1.3% 1.7% 1.8% '09 to '10 (1.9%) (3.8%) (2.3%) (3.2%) Small: 50-100 attorneys Tier I: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Midsize: 101-250 attorneys Tier II: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Minn., Phila, Wash DC Large: 251-500 attorneys Tier III: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis Mega: >500 attorneys Tier IV: All Other Cities 1 Excludes compensation, discretionary benefits and taxes of Associates, Senior and Staff Attorneys. If a firm does not provide benefits and taxes, a default value of 15% of compensation is used. 2 Tier groups were developed to offer comparisons among similar firms, using a combination of factors including market size, economic rating, retail and wholesale trade, and industrial activity. NYC-based firms have been excluded from all Tier groups.
Page 4 NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS 3.30 Ratio of Other Lawyers 1 to Equity Partners by Firm Size and Market median values, 2006-2010 Size Comparisons Tiered 2 Geographical Market Comparisons 2.20 2.80 2.00 1.80 2.30 1.60 1.80 1.40 1.20 1.30 1.00 0.80 Small Mid Large Mega 0.80 Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV Growth Rates - Leverage Growth Rates - Leverage Small Mid Large Mega Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV '06 to '10 (24.5%) 22.4% 19.6% 4.1% '06 to '10 23.3% 16.4% 25.9% 17.9% '09 to '10 (4.2%) 0.4% (6.3%) 0.4% '09 to '10 (9.8%) (11.6%) (1.7%) (0.8%) Small: 50-100 attorneys Tier I: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Midsize: 101-250 attorneys Tier II: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Minn., Phila, Wash DC Large: 251-500 attorneys Tier III: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis Mega: >500 attorneys Tier IV: All Other Cities 1 Includes Non-Equity Partners, Associates, Senior and Staff Attorneys. 2 Tier groups were developed to offer comparisons among similar firms, using a combination of factors including market size, economic rating, retail and wholesale trade, and industrial activity. NYC-based firms have been excluded from all Tier groups.
Attorney Count Attorney Count Page 5 NATIONAL LAW FIRM TRENDS Legal Staff Growth by Firm Size and Market median values, 2006-2010 800 Size Comparisons 310 Tiered 1 Geographical Market Comparisons 700 290 600 270 500 250 400 230 300 210 200 190 100 170 0 Small Mid Large Mega 150 Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV Growth Rates - Attorney Count Growth Rates - Attorney Count Small Mid Large Mega Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier IV '06 to '10 2.4% 3.0% 9.6% 7.2% '06 to '10 25.9% 3.0% 6.7% 12.1% '09 to '10 (4.0%) (0.2%) 2.6% (1.8%) '09 to '10 (3.1%) (15.7%) 13.5% (2.6%) Small: 50-100 attorneys Tier I: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Midsize: 101-250 attorneys Tier II: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Minn., Phila, Wash DC Large: 251-500 attorneys Tier III: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis Mega: >500 attorneys Tier IV: All Other Cities 1 Tier groups were developed to offer comparisons among similar firms, using a combination of factors including market size, economic rating, retail and wholesale trade, and industrial activity. NYC-based firms have been excluded from all Tier groups.
Firm: xxxx In this section, your Total Firm data is displayed with the following comparison groups: Group 1: National Groups X-XIII Combined - Firms Nat'l Group abbreviation: Nat'l Group 2: AmLaw 100 AmLaw 100 Group abbreviation: AmLaw 100 Group 3: AmLaw Second 100 All AmLaw Second Group abbreviation: AmLaw Second Information about each of these groups is provided on the following page.
Page 6 Comparison Group Information Group Abbreviation Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Number of Members in the Group 49 28 38 Your Firm Displayed in this Report is a Member of the Group No No No Defined Size Range* of Group Members (# of Attorneys) Maximum No Maximum No Maximum No Maximum Minimum 251 No Minimum No Minimum Your Firm Size (# of Attorneys) Average Size of Group Members (# of Attorneys) 554 702 345 Reporting Entities Included in the Group Number of Total Firms (single office firms or multi-office firms) 49 28 38 Number of Principal Offices 0 0 0 Number of Non-Principal Offices 0 0 0 Professional Staffing Number of members with: - multiple classes of partners 44 26 32 - multiple classes of non-partner attorneys 39 23 31 * For all groups that have a defined size range and include data for total firms and individual offices of multi-office firms, group membership is based on the size of the total firm and not the size of the individual office. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 7 $1,533,090 Gross Fees per Partner Revenue Trends inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 $683,490 Gross Fees per Lawyer $1,433,090 $1,333,090 $663,490 $643,490 $623,490 $1,233,090 $603,490 $1,133,090 $1,033,090 $583,490 $563,490 $543,490 $933,090 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second $523,490 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Gross Fees per Partner Growth Rates - Gross Fees per Lawyer Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 5.0% 6.4% (0.9%) '06 to '10 1.2% 3.8% (0.6%) '09 to '10 0.4% 2.4% 0.3% '09 to '10 0.7% 1.7% (0.2%) Gross Fees per Partner represents the average fee revenue generated from the firm's professional activities (reported on a cash basis) per Partner full time equivalents (FTEs). Likewise, Gross Fees per Lawyer represents the average fee revenue generated per lawyer, as measured on an FTE basis. Ordinarily, highly leveraged firms (i.e., firms that have a high ratio of non-partner timekeepers to Partners) will experience higher Gross Fees per Partner than firms having lower leverage. And, firms having lower leverage will have relatively higher Gross Fees per Lawyer than highly leveraged firms. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 8 $666,000 Net Income per Partner Profitability Trends inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 $861,590 Net Income per Equity Partner $616,000 $811,590 $761,590 $566,000 $711,590 $661,590 $516,000 $611,590 $466,000 $561,590 $511,590 $416,000 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second $461,590 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Net Income per Partner Growth Rates - Net Income per Equity Partner Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 3.7% 8.1% 4.4% '06 to '10 5.6% 14.5% (3.4%) '09 to '10 5.2% 2.3% 7.3% '09 to '10 7.6% 12.5% 5.8% Net Income per Partner is reported on a cash basis, after payments to former Partners and Of Counsel. Net Income per Equity Partner is determined after deducting Non-Equity Partner compensation. Some firms have experienced increases in Net Income per Equity Partner exclusively by implementing or substantially increasing the use of a Non-Equity Partner class of attorneys. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 9 Operating Expenses 1 per Lawyer inflation adjusted median values, 2006-2010 $258,190 $248,190 $238,190 $228,190 $218,190 $208,190 $198,190 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Operating Expenses 1 per Lawyer Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 (2.2%) 0.9% (1.8%) '09 to '10 0.6% 1.3% (1.0%) 1 Excludes compensation, discretionary benefits and taxes of Associates, Senior and Staff Attorneys. If a firm does not provide benefits and taxes, a default value of 15% of compensation is used. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 10 $59,330 Direct Practice Support Expenses per Lawyer Expense Summary quartile values, 2010 $208,750 Indirect Expenses per Lawyer $57,330 $198,750 $55,330 $188,750 $53,330 $178,750 $51,330 $168,750 $158,750 $49,330 $148,750 $47,330 $138,750 $45,330 $128,750 $43,330 $118,750 $41,330 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Direct Expenses per Lawyer Growth Rates - Indirect Expenses per Lawyer Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '09 to '10 (2.2%) (7.6%) (2.0%) '09 to '10 1.6% 7.0% 2.3% $108,750 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Direct Practice Support Expenses include the compensation and benefits of staff who are directly involved in the delivery of legal services including non-lawyer timekeepers (Lobbyists, Specialists, Litigation Support, Patent Agents, Legal Assistants, Case Clerks, Law Clerks & Trust Accountants), Secretaries and Word Processors. Indirect Expenses include the compensation and benefits of all administrative support staff (excluding Secretaries and Word Processors) and all operating expenses. If a firm does not provide a benefits percentage value, a default of 15% of compensation for the attorneys and 20% of compensation for all other timekeepers is used. See the Appendix for a guide to interpreting graphs in this format. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 11 $29,350 Direct Practice Support Expenses per Timekeeper Expense Summary quartile values, 2010 $169,940 Indirect Expenses per Timekeeper $28,350 $159,940 $27,350 $149,940 $26,350 $139,940 $25,350 $129,940 $24,350 $119,940 $23,350 $109,940 $22,350 $99,940 $21,350 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Direct Expenses per Timekeeper Growth Rates - Indirect Expenses per Timekeeper Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '09 to '10 (3.6%) (1.2%) (3.1%) '09 to '10 4.4% 11.2% 5.6% $89,940 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Direct Practice Support Expenses include the compensation and benefits of staff who are directly involved in the delivery of legal services including Secretaries and Word Processors. Indirect Expenses include the compensation and benefits of all administrative support staff (excluding Secretaries and Word Processors) and all operating expenses. If a firm does not provide a benefits percentage value, a default of 15% of compensation for the attorneys and 20% of compensation for all other timekeepers is used. See the Appendix for a guide to interpreting graphs in this format. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 12 Ratio of Other Lawyers 1 to Equity Partners Leverage Ratios median values, 2006-2010 Ratio of Non-Partner Timekeepers 2 to Partners 2.82 1.77 2.62 1.67 2.42 1.57 2.22 1.47 2.02 1.37 1.82 1.27 1.62 1.17 1.42 1.07 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Other Attorney Leverage Growth Rates - Other Timekeeper Leverage Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 9.6% 12.3% 4.2% '06 to '10 (9.8%) (4.7%) (14.8%) '09 to '10 2.2% 7.3% (0.6%) '09 to '10 (4.3%) (1.5%) (3.8%) The ratios presented on this page provide alternative perspectives on law firm partner "leverage" (i.e., timekeeper staffing in support of a partner's efforts). These calculations are designed to acknowledge that beneficial leveraging can be achieved from utilizing multiple partner and non-partner attorney tiers or classifications, as well as from non-lawyer timekeepers. The more traditional measure of staff leverage - Ratio of Associates to Partners - has decreased in significance as law firms have increased their usage of other attorney classifications, including non-equity partners and senior attorneys. 1 Includes Non-Equity Partners, Associates, Senior and Staff Attorneys. 2 Includes Associates, Senior and Staff Attorneys, Lobbyists, Specialists, Litigation Support, Patent Agents, Paralegals, Case Clerks, and Law Clerks & Trust Accountants. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 13 Utilization quartile values, 2010 Average Chargeable Hours per Partner Average Chargeable Hours per Associate 1,640 1,860 1,590 1,810 1,540 1,760 1,490 1,710 1,440 1,660 1,390 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second 1,610 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Partner Utilization Growth Rates - Associate Utilization Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 (6.6%) (8.2%) (5.1%) '06 to '10 (1.8%) (3.1%) 0.5% '09 to '10 1.3% 2.3% (0.0%) '09 to '10 3.2% 3.4% 3.2% While some firms and their clients have placed substantial emphasis on alternative billing arrangements, the chargeable hour remains the primary method for assigning value to legal services provided. For Survey purposes, the proportion of fees billed under alternative fee arrangements should have little impact on average chargeable hours by staff classification results. In most firms, Associates generally average more chargeable hours than Partners. See the Appendix for a guide to interpreting graphs in this format. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 14 Months Invested in Client Services Billings and Collections quartile values, 2010 Net Realization % 1 3.9 92.0 3.7 91.0 90.0 3.5 89.0 3.3 88.0 87.0 3.1 86.0 2.9 85.0 2.7 84.0 83.0 2.5 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Investment in Services Growth Rates - Net Realization Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '09 to '10 0.0% (1.5%) 3.0% '09 to '10 (0.2%) (1.0%) 0.8% 82.0 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Months Invested in Client Services represents the size of the firm's inventory of WIP and A/R. The dollar value of WIP and A/R (after reserves) is converted to the equivalent value expressed in terms of an average month's hours production valued at standard rates. This is done to put all firms on a comparable basis. Firms reluctant to reserve or write-off work in process or accounts receivable will experience higher levels of investment in services. See the Appendix for a guide to interpreting graphs in this format. 1 The product of Accounts Receivable realization and Work in Process realization. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 15 Permanent Capital 1 and Debt Total Maximum Debt as a % of Permanent Capital quartile values, 2010 Permanent Capital and Total Max. Debt per Equity Partner 2 120.00 $600,000 100.00 $500,000 80.00 $400,000 60.00 $300,000 40.00 $200,000 20.00 $100,000 0.00 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second $0 Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Total Max. Debt as a % of Capital Growth Rates - Capital & Total Max. Debt per Equity Ptr. 2 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '09 to '10 (24.7%) (46.3%) 3.9% '09 to '10 (2.4%) 6.6% (9.6%) See the Appendix for a guide to interpreting graphs in this format. 1 Permanent capital consists of a mixture of actual out-of-pocket contributions made by partners and undistributed firm earnings to be held indefinitely. It does not include undistributed earnings that are to be distributed at a predetermined point in the near future. 2 Calculations are based on an annual full time equivalent basis. If your firm indicated that both Equity and Non-Equity partners contribute capital, no 'Your Firm' value will be displayed for the capital and maximum debt calculation. ** omitted due to insufficient data
Page 16 0.52 Ratio of Secretaries and Word Processors to Lawyers Support Staff Ratios median values, 2006-2010 1.07 Ratio of Total Administrative Support Staff to Lawyers 0.50 0.48 1.05 1.03 1.01 0.46 0.99 0.44 0.97 0.42 0.40 0.95 0.93 0.91 0.38 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second 0.89 Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Growth Rates - Sec'y & WP per Lawyer Growth Rates - Support Staff per Lawyer Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second Your Firm Nat'l AmLaw 100 AmLaw Second '06 to '10 (20.1%) (21.8%) (14.3%) '06 to '10 (12.0%) (13.0%) (9.0%) '09 to '10 (5.3%) (4.3%) (3.0%) '09 to '10 (1.6%) (1.7%) (0.1%) Administrative staffing ratios are closely correlated to a firm's expense structure since compensation costs generally represent well over half of a law firm's expenses. ** omitted due to insufficient data
APPENDIX
Guide to Interpreting the Stacked Bar Graphs Presented in this Report Your Firm's value for the current year is displayed as a dark solid line across the results for all comparison groups. Average Chargeable Hours per Partner 2,050 Each group's results for the current year are displayed as a "floating" stacked bar, which represents: First Quartile Value Median Value Third Quartile Value Given the three group statistics presented, each bar represents the values for the middle 50% of the group. The regions which represent the top 25% and the bottom 25% are implied by position, but they are not depicted. 1,850 1,650 1,450 1,250 1,050 850 Your Firm Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Example Interpretation of this Graph: For the current year, your firm's value is at the Median Level of Group 1, above the Median Level and below the First Quartile Level of Group 2 (i.e., in the Second Quartile), and below the Median Level and above the Third Quartile of Group 3 (i.e., in the Third Quartile).