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Dorsey & Whitney LLP, a leading US law firm with more than 850 lawyers, continued to suffer from revenue losses as the firm’s gross revenue dipped for the second consecutive year. Based on the data released by Dorsey & Whitney, the firm registered gross revenues of $322.7 million in 2010, a figure that is 6% lower than 2009 and a 12% decline from a peak of $367 million in 2008.
Despite the gross revenue decline, the firm’s revenue per lawyer climbed by 2% to $568,713 and its profits per equity partner increased by 4% to $521,756. The firm attributed the gain to the lower headcount at the firm. In 2010, the firm’s total headcount dropped 7.5%, a decrease of 45.7 full-time equivalent lawyers to 567.4 lawyers. The firm’s total number of partners also dipped by 4%, a decline of 11.6 FTE equity and non-equity partners to 265.8 total partners.
Marianne Short, managing partner at Dorsey & Whitney, said that the firm is now finding ways to increase to start increasing its gross revenue. “The firm continues to manage expenses carefully.” She added: “The decline in total lawyers reflects movement of some of our younger lawyers to jobs with clients. But Dorsey is looking for good lateral hires with books of business.”
In 2009, Dorsey cut about 8% of its expenses, which resulted to an increase in the firm’s net profit by 1% to $118.4 million.
