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Corporate Law Firms in the US - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Dmitry Diment Dmitry Diment New York, United States Last Updated: August 2025 NAICS OD4805

Revenue

$193.6bn

2025

$193.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

683k

Businesses

198k

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Corporate Law Firms in the US industry analysis

Corporate law firms have enjoyed revenue growth as strong corporate profit stimulated demand for almost all of the industry's services. The largest boon to corporate lawyers came in 2021 as the number of IPOs reached an all-time high. As drafting IPOs is one of the industry's largest revenue streams, this jump brought a surge in revenue. This revenue was especially helpful to make up for a dip the year before, as pandemic-related government assistance allowed struggling businesses to delay filing for bankruptcy, lessening demand for corporate lawyers. Since 2023, revenue growth in corporate law has accelerated further, driven by strong demand across a wide range of services, with the highest increases in areas like merger advice, transactional work and regulation. Thus, industry-wide revenue is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% through 2025 to total $193.6 billion, with revenue rising an estimated 5.3% during 2025 alone.

Strong corporate profit is the most important factor to the industry's success. Corporate profit skyrocketed following the initial pandemic trough as prices, spending and production capacities all rose to meet pent-up demand. This new capital enabled major companies to acquire smaller competitors, leading to a surge in revenue for lawyers specializing in incorporation. With more flexibility in their margins, corporations were also able to invest more in research and development projects. This, in turn, increased demand for corporate law firms to help protect intellectual property. While wages have been on the rise, revenue growth has helped law firms absorb these costs and keep profit high, especially for the nation's top firms.

Looking forward, corporate lawyers are expected to enjoy steady growth. Corporate profit is forecast to rise as interest rates decline, even as the effect of tariff policy shifts engenders economic uncertainty. Continued changes to corporate taxation, first under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and now with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025, will encourage major companies to seek consulting services from corporate lawyers in order to comply with evolving corporate tax obligations and incentives. Much of this demand will be met by in-house legal departments, though, which experts anticipate to become more prevalent. Still, the range of corporate law firms' cyclical and countercyclical services will continue to make the industry especially resilient, and revenue is forecast to climb at a CAGR of 0.6% through 2030 to total $199.9 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • Soaring corporate profit has driven higher demand for legal services, as companies invest more in acquisitions and research and development. This uptick in business activity has increased corporate law firms' revenue as growth opportunities expand.
  • General corporate law covers day-to-day business. The regularity and wide-ranging nature of services like antitrust, incorporation and securities law make it responsible for the bulk of revenue generated by corporate law firms.
  • Large corporate law firms target major cities to access top clients and bigger deals. By establishing offices in business hubs like New York or Chicago, they position themselves to win the most lucrative contracts and build strong client relationships.
  • Large firms excel in cross-border law, leveraging their resources to meet fragmented demand. Lawyers must navigate state and municipal regulations, but firms with broad reach effectively serve interstate and international clients needing comprehensive support.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $193.6bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Corporate law navigates IPO surge as shifting economy drives industry transformation

  • Corporate law firms have experienced market swings driven by the pandemic and a economic rebound. In recent years, legal teams have taken on a critical role, guiding clients through company formations, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and changing regulatory environments as businesses scrambled to adapt to new economic realities.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Corporate Law Firms in the US
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Strong corporate profit growth is set to keep revenue on the rise

  • Corporate profit will rise in the coming years as the Federal Reserve lower interest rates, despite the expected inflationary turbulence that has been engendered by the Trump administration’s shifting tariff regime. Corporate profit is forecast to will improve, strengthening financial stability for businesses nationwide. As borrowing costs drop, companies will have more resources to invest, expand operations and consider mergers and acquisitions as strategic options.

Biggest companies in the Corporate Law Firms in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue
2025
Profit
2025
Profit Margin (%)
2025

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Corporate Law Firms in the US industry.

Products & Services Segmentation

Corporate Law Firms in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including General corporate law, Insurance law and Intellectual property law. General corporate law is the largest segment of the Corporate Law Firms in the US.

Trends and Insights

General corporate legal demand rises with IPO surges and new business formation

  • General corporate law consists of a wide range of legal services supporting routine and complex business operations. This segment includes work in incorporation, contract drafting and review, antitrust compliance, mergers, acquisitions and securities regulation. Professionals in this sector help organizations establish corporate structures, maintain good governance and navigate regulatory environments, making their expertise essential for both emerging startups and established corporations.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Firms in this industry specialize in commercial law related to mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings involving debt and equity markets and activities surrounding initial public offerings, as well as legal services associated with private equity transactions that include leveraged buyouts. Corporate law firms also provide services relating to commercial litigation, including intellectual property disputes.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States include Providing legal services for corporations.

Companies

Companies covered in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States include .

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States include initial public offering (ipo), insolvency and pro bono.

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 541110 - Corporate Law Firms in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Soaring corporate profit has driven higher demand for legal services, as companies invest more in acquisitions and research and development. This uptick in business activity ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

General corporate law covers day-to-day business. The regularity and wide-ranging nature of services like antitrust, incorporation and securities law make it responsible for ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Large corporate law firms target major cities to access top clients and bigger deals. By establishing offices in business hubs like New York or Chicago, they position themsel...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Large firms excel in cross-border law, leveraging their resources to meet fragmented demand. Lawyers must navigate state and municipal regulations, but firms with broad reach...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Corporate Law Firms in the US industry.

Analyst insights

There are no major companies. While it's easy for high-profile firms to secure lucrative contracts with important clients, there are simply so many businesses in the US that ...

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Registration varies widely by state. Each jurisdiction sets its own rules for its legal system, and corporate lawyers in almost every state will need to complete law school a...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Labor costs are especially high. Skilled, well-educated lawyers are needed at every step of the process to understand complex legislation and offer consulting services to maj...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
  • Income Statement (2018-2023)
  • Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2023)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States in 2025?

The market size of the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States is $193.6bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States in 2025?

There are 198k businesses in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States?

The Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States?

The Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 3.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States is expected to grow.

What does the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States include?

Providing legal services for corporations and are part of the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States.

How competitive is the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Corporate Law Firms industry in the United States.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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