The 2026 NLJ 500: Ranked by Head Count

June 8, 2026

Read Article Join Our Mailing List

Save as PDF

The NLJ 500 is the National Law Journal’s survey of the 500 largest law firms in the United States covering the previous calendar year. Data is collected from firms at the same time as the Am Law financial numbers. ALM sent surveys this year to more than 900 law firms to determine the 500 largest U.S.-centric firms by headcount. Firms smaller than No. 350 are divided into two tiers instead of earning individual ranks.

Lawyer totals are based on the average number of full-time equivalent (FTE) attorneys for Fiscal Year 2025. For firms that did not participate in the survey, ALM research estimates lawyer counts based on information that is available on firm websites and collected in ALM’s Legal Compass database as of Dec. 31, 2025. Those numbers are reduced by 5 percent to estimate average FTE lawyers. In the case of a tie of total lawyers, firms are ranked by their total number of partners, and ties at that level are broken by total number of equity partners. Equity partners are defined as lawyers who earn more than half their compensation from firm profits rather than from salaries. “Other” lawyers are non-partner and non-associate-track attorneys, such as of counsel. Temporary and contract attorneys as well as non-lawyer billing professionals and staff at firms are not included in these head counts. A firm must have more lawyers based in the U.S. than in any other single country to be included on this list.

Cole Schotz ranked No. 198 on this year’s NLJ 500 list. For more information, the full 2026 report can be found here.

As the law continues to evolve on these matters, please note that this article is current as of date and time of publication and may not reflect subsequent developments. The content and interpretation of the issues addressed herein is subject to change. Cole Schotz P.C. disclaims any and all liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this publication to the fullest extent permitted by law. This is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Do not act or refrain from acting upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining legal, financial and tax advice. For further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your firm contact or to any of the attorneys listed in this publication. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court in any state.