Michael Best & Friedrich LLP (commonly, referred to as "Michael Best") is a U.S. national law firm with 277 attorneys across 17 domestic offices.[1] The firm ranked 169th on The American Lawyer's 2021 Am Law 200 rankings.
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| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 17 |
| No. of attorneys | 350 |
| Major practice areas | General practice |
| Key people | David A. Krutz (Managing Partner) |
| Revenue | $156,964,000 (2021)[1] |
| Profit per equity partner | $677,000 (2021)[1] |
| Date founded | 1848 |
| Founder | Edward George Ryan |
| Company type | Limited liability partnership |
| Website | www.michaelbest.com |
History
Michael Best was founded in 1848 by Edward George Ryan, a Wisconsin trial attorney who later served as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.[2] Over the course of more than a hundred and seventy years, the firm expanded throughout Wisconsin and across the country through a series of expansions and mergers, eventually growing from a small legal practice to a full-service business law firm that serves clients in the United States and across the globe.[2][3][4]
Practice areas
Michael Best's primary practice areas include corporate, government relations, public policy, political law, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation, privacy & cybersecurity, real estate, regulatory, tax, and estate planning.[5] Other areas of practice the firm is known for include banking & financial services law, energy, environmental & natural resources law, and life sciences.
Attorney compensation
Unlike most U.S. national law firms, Michael Best does not generally disclose compensation offered to Associates.[6] However, as mandated by the Colorado Equal Pay Act, the lateral attorney job openings posted on the firm's website indicate that, "[f]or Colorado applicants only," the starting associate salary is $150,000 per year.[7] Numerous sources further report that base salary of Michael Best Associates based in other major markets (i.e., Austin, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., where Associate salaries typically start at $205,000 for new law school graduates), also start at $150,000.[8][9][10]
Affiliations
Michael Best is affiliated with various global law organizations, including Lex Mundi, a network of 160 law firms with over 21,000 attorneys in more than 100 countries;[11] the Employment Law Alliance (ELA), a global network of employment and labor law firms;[12] and the American Property Tax Counsel (APTC), a national affiliation of property tax law firms that provides major portfolio owners with a single source of tax advice.[13]
Notable alumni
- William A. Bablitch, Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1983-2003) [14]
- Steven M. Biskupic, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin [15]
- David J. Cannon, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin[16]
- Stephen L. Crocker, United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin (1992–Present) [17]
- Michelle L. Jacobs, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin [15]
- Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee (2011–2017)[18][19] and White House Chief of Staff (2017) [20]
- Edward George Ryan, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1874-1880) [21]