Atlanta-based King & Spalding has grown up in tandem with fellow Atlanta-based names including Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, UPS, Home Depot and SunTrust Banks.

Its roots in Georgia have also allowed it to capitalise on a Southern boom in mass torts. The firm deals with a large number of energy clients from Houston, although managing partner Robert Hays claims that London is becoming a clearing house for energy investments. Accordingly, John Keffer, managing partner of the eight-partner London office, specialises not only in corporate, but also in energy.

Another key offering is banking and finance. The firm has developed a significant Islamic finance practice, led by New York partner and co-chair of the Middle East Islamic finance group Isam Salah.

However, the firm's New York office has recently been hit by a series of damaging raids. In October 2006 Nixon Peabody raided it for private equity partner Dominick DeChiara, senior associate Bradley Vaiana, and corporate associate Geoffrey Goldschein.

The same month, Linklaters' New York office scooped King & Spalding's head of private funds and asset management, Stephen Culhane, while in September Clifford Chance group netted the co-head of King & Spalding's M&A team, John Graham.

• The Top 100: 26-50