Richest Lawyers in the World: Law is unquestionably one of the most lucrative professions. Some solicitors have managed to amass a small fortune by winning landmark cases and pursuing lucrative side businesses.
Richest Lawyers in the World
1. Richard Scruggs: $1.7 billion
Richard Scruggs, a 1976 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law and a prominent trial attorney, is best known for his passion for tobacco and asbestos cases and the over $1 billion in verdicts he obtained against various companies. In 2003, he won a $51 million verdict in a case against Lehman Brothers. He was also heavily involved in the Ritalin class-action litigation of the year 2000. However, he was accused of judicial corruption in 2007. He plead guilty in 2008 and ultimately served six years in federal prison. Today, at the age of 70, he has served out his sentence and retained his enormous fortune.
2. Joe Jamail: $1.7 billion
Although Joe Jamail passed away in December 2015 at the age of 90, he is included on this list because, at the time of his demise, he was the wealthiest practising attorney in the United States. Often referred to as the “King of Torts,” he represented Pennzoil against rival Texaco in a 1985 litigation. His contingent remuneration was $335 after the court ruled in favour of Pennzoil. The 1953 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law was a former marine with a reputation for being abrasive, impolite, and vulgar in the courtroom. However, outside of the courtroom, he was well-known for his charitable contributions.
3. Wichai Thongtang: $1.1 billion
Wichai Thongtang is a powerful Thai attorney who is regarded as “one of the top names in the profession from around the world” by many professionals. After graduating from Thammasat University in 1970, he entered the field of corporate law, where he represented a number of top Thai executives and corporations. He also took advantage of the opportunity to educate himself on the stock market and investing. In addition to his legal profession, Thongtang is the Chairman of Cable Thai Holding PLC and owns 15% of Bangkok healthcare company Dusit Medical.
4. William Lerach: $900,000,000
Although he was disbarred in 2009 for his participation in a kickback scheme, William Lerach had a prosperous career as a corporate attorney specialising in private securities class action lawsuits for more than three decades, which enabled him to accumulate a substantial fortune. Lerach, a graduate of the University of Pittsburg School of Law, holds the record for the largest sum ever recovered in a group of securities class action lawsuits for the $7.12 billion judgement he received against Enron. During his heyday, he was often referred to as the most feared attorney in America.
5. Bill Neukom: $850 million
Bill Neukom is a corporate counsel who is well-known for his philanthropy. He currently serves as the founder and CEO of the World Justice Project, which is dedicated to promoting the rule of law worldwide. After graduating from Stanford Law School in 1967, he worked for a modest firm until Microsoft, then in its infancy, requested his services. Eventually, he became legal counsel for Microsoft, a position he held for 25 years. Previously, he was a San Francisco Giants investor.
6. Judy Sheindlin: Between $150 million and $250 million
Judy, who is best known for being a no-nonsense television justice, earns $47 million per year. Judge Sheindlin, a 1965 graduate of New York Law School, began her career as a corporate attorney, but soon grew tired of it and decided to become a family court prosecutor. In 1982, she was appointed to the bench of the criminal court, where she presided over more than 20,000 cases and acquired a reputation as a “tough” judge. This, along with her several published books, attracted the attention of television executives and ultimately led to the creation of her television programme. She is also the author of seven books and has appeared as a legal analyst on numerous television programmes.
7. Willie E. Gary: $100,000,000
Willie Gary, also known as “The Giant Killer,” has challenged several of the nation’s largest corporations, including Anheuser-Busch and Disney. He has obtained some of the largest settlements and jury awards in the United States, including several cases worth over $30 billion. Graduate of Shaw University, he is the managing partner at Gary, Williams, Parenti, Watson, and Gary, P.L.L.C., a motivational speaker, and a legal analyst who has appeared on “The Early Show.”
8. Roy Black: $100,000,000
Roy Black, a graduate of the University of Miami and a civil and criminal defence counsel, is the senior partner at Black, Srebnick, Kornspan, & Stumpf. He has represented prominent clients for more than four decades, including William Kennedy Smith (acquitted on rape charges), Albertson’s, Inc., and Helio Castroneves. In addition to serving as a legal analyst on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” and teaching advanced criminal evidence at the University of Miami, he has the “best national reputation in Florida,” according to the majority of his peers.
9. Jane Wanjiru Michuki: $60 million
Jane Wanjiru Michuki, a graduate of the Kenya School of Law and Warwick University, is a managing partner at Kimani & Michuki Advocate, a corporate law firm in Nairobi, Kenya that represents several of Kenya’s largest corporations, including Equity Group Holdings Limited. In addition to practising law, she is the largest female stockholder on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, which contributes significantly to her net worth.
10. John Branca is worth $50 million
John Branca, a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, has had a protracted career as an entertainment and corporate attorney specialising in representing rock bands and independent investors. He has represented more than 30 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members and appears on virtually every list of the world’s top entertainment attorneys. He is the co-executor of Michael Jackson’s estate, as a side note.
