Michael Best
American law firm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP (commonly, referred to as "Michael Best") is a U.S. national law firm with more than 400 legal professionals, including more than 300 attorneys in 18 domestic offices.[1] 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.[2]
 | |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 18 |
| 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.[3] 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.[3][4][5]
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;[6] the Employment Law Alliance (ELA), a global network of employment and labor law firms;[7] 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.[8]
Attorney compensation
Unlike most U.S. national law firms, Michael Best does not generally disclose compensation offered to Associates.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11][12][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]
- Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee (2011–2017)[17][18] and White House Chief of Staff (2017) [19]
- Edward George Ryan, Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1874-1880) [20]