2019
Annual Review
From our Chair
Despite ongoing political and economic uncertainty, 2019 was a year of continued growth for White & Case.
Our lawyers collaborated with clients on groundbreaking global matters—including on the world’s largest IPO—as well as many major, multijurisdictional transactions and disputes spanning the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions.
Four years into our 2020 strategy, we continued to progress toward our strategic objectives. Our annual revenue rose to a record US$2.185 billion in 2019—up 7 percent since 2018, and 43 percent since 2015. Performance in the US was particularly strong, bolstered by headcount and revenue growth in our new offices in Chicago and Houston. We also added 83 partners worldwide—promoting 41 lawyers internally and welcoming 42 lawyers laterally.
For the third consecutive year, Law360 ranked White & Case number one on its Global 20 list, and the Firm was ranked second on the American Lawyer’s Diversity Scorecard. We are proud that our newly elected Partnership Committee has a 50-50 gender split and that 46 percent of our partner promotions were women. Diversity and inclusion are central to who we are.
We continued to make a difference in people’s lives through pro bono work and global citizenship initiatives. Our lawyers worked with other firms and NGOs at a refugee camp in Greece to provide legal assistance to refugees and asylum seekers. We obtained one of the largest verdicts ever handed down in the US by a jury in a wrongful conviction case, compensating our client for decades of imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. We continued to partner with the United Nations on important projects—in our fourth year as a signatory to the UN Global Compact—with a particular focus on Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions.
At White & Case, we believe in the power of working together—for our clients and for a better world—and we see a future of growing global collaboration.
Hugh Verrier
Conversations
Insights from guest speakers at Firm events
Perspectives
Our lawyers' views on business trends and legal developments
Run in US M&A continues
2019 was one of the best years on record—and there's reason to believe the trend will continue in 2020
Buyouts trigger a boom in Western European PE
European PE activity dipped in 2019, but buyouts held on
Leveraged finance flat in Europe, down in US, despite spikes in high yield debt
High yield bond issuance in the US and Western Europe rose by double digits in 2019
Sustainable Development Goal CLOs fund the making of a better world
SDG CLOs can harness the power of the bond market to help create a sustainable and fairer global economy
Offshore wind power gains ground but faces environmental challenges
To maximize its potential, industry players will have to navigate a complex web of national, state and local environmental regulation
Global oil & gas M&A at a crossroads
2019 proved challenging for oil & gas M&A in the face of a volatile crude price and weaker economic growth
Connected cars merge with payment technology
Tech, financial and auto companies will form alliances that raise familiar legal issues in new contexts as connected cars proliferate
Will blockchain-based digital finance techniques disrupt the mining & metals sector?
As equity funding into the sector declines, traditional financing models may be combined with security token offerings to create new ways to raise capital
As global trade becomes less open, expect antitrust regulators to act
Trade restrictions can result in increased anticompetitive behavior
Impact
Highlights of our work in 2019
M&A and private equity
In 2019, we advised on 310 announced M&A deals worldwide with an aggregate value exceeding US$382 billion
Banking and capital markets
We helped clients with their complex financial transactions around the world
Disputes
In courts and arbitration forums worldwide, we won successful resolutions of our clients' high-stakes business disputes
Project development finance and finance and asset finance
We advised sponsors and lenders on developing and financing a wide range of projects
Global citizenship
Our lawyers helped pro bono clients in wrongful imprisonment and unconstitutional sentencing cases
Achievements
New leadership & Firm growth
New global management team
In 2019, Hugh Verrier was re-elected Firm Chair for a fourth consecutive four-year term. Verrier appointed four partners to the Firm’s executive leadership team.
Our lawyers worldwide
Ongoing revenue growth
2019 awards & rankings
Our work for clients earned external recognition with awards and top rankings worldwide in 2019
2019 new partners
In 2019, 42 new partners joined White & Case and 41 Firm lawyers were promoted, resulting in a total of 83 new partners
Creating a resilient law firm
Even before analysts began predicting an economic downturn, White & Case took steps to ensure the Firm’s ongoing success through tough times
Local actions support a global culture of innovation
White & Case makes innovation tangible with a well-received program in London
Achievements
Diversity & inclusion
Our diverse workplace
Our nine global affinity groups foster a sense of community among the Firm’s diverse groups. Each group sets its own agenda and goals specific to the issues the community feels are the most important to them. Affinity groups are also the drivers of activity to create and enhance awareness of the diverse groups within the Firm, and each group’s unique identity and concerns.
Our local women’s networks foster professional development and mentoring activities, focus on business-related client partnerships, and are a forum for female lawyers and business services professionals to share opinions on how we shape our work and leave policies to best support and retain our talent.
Goldman Sachs teams up with White & Case to support diversity in the legal sector
An expanding mentorship program builds on our shared commitment to diversity and inclusion
Achievements
For our clients
Global reach
Keeping a spotlight on human rights
Our new training recognizes that human rights issues have far-reaching business implications
White & Case doubles down on industry knowledge
A global professional development program highlights our industry-centered approach