Law Firms

Which law firm has the biggest presence in Los Angeles County? It's not O'Melveny

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The law firm with the most lawyers in Los Angeles County is not O’Melveny & Myers, and it’s not Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

The largest firm, according to a ranking (PDF) and story by the Los Angeles Business Journal (sub. req.), is “low key” Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith. LA Biz Observed noted the finding.

Lewis Brisbois has 271 lawyers in the county, compared to 260 lawyers at O’Melveny, 257 lawyers at Gibson Dunn, 223 lawyers at Latham & Watkins, and 200 lawyers at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton. Lewis Brisbois has added 61 lawyers in the last five years, while O’Melveny has shrunk by 110 lawyers, according to the LA Biz Observed summary.

Never heard of Lewis Brisbois? asks LA Biz Observed. “Well, the firm was founded in 1979 by seven lawyers, many of them specializing in medical and legal malpractice, and in recent years it’s become known as the place to go when you want to save some money,” the blog says. “It’s also the place that is frequented by midsize, mid-market companies that have become the linchpin of the local economy.”

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